I Want To Know What Love Is
by yachtdepon
Summary: Raven and Beast Boy begin a relationship, but Terra comes in and complicates stuff! Read on as we journey to Markovia for more romance, as well as the mysteries.
1. I Want To Know What Love Is

**(Author's Note: Here's a break from my season six story! It's another BBRae, because I just can't get tired of them. The song is "I Want To Know What Love Is" by The Foreigners but it's Mariah Carey's cover that inspired me to write this. Shorter than my other oneshots/songfics, but I hope it's just as romantic!)**

"Raven, I don't care who you are, or what you do, you don't treat Terra that way!" Beast Boy snapped at the empath.

"She does not remember you, Beast Boy," Raven retorted in her usual monotone. "You have to snap out of it. Face it, the Terra you love is gone, intentional or not."

"No, she's not!" Beast Boy shouted, raising his voice even higher. "You give up too easily, Raven! You remain cool and collected, but that leaves you with no belief in the unlikelihood of things!"

Raven could feel her fist tense up. Beast Boy's words were getting more hurtful by the minute, so she was trying every trick in the book to calm down.

"Don't make me mad, Beast Boy," Raven said through gritted teeth.

"Just like how you made me mad?" Beast Boy retorted. "Give me a break, Raven! I love Terra! I thought you like her too!"

"I do," Raven said, now face down, "but that's not the Terra that I like. She's not, Beast Boy, and you still love her?"

"I do, Raven! I do! I really do! She is the same Terra, Raven!"

Raven took a deep breath.

"But Beast Boy..."

Beast Boy folded his arms across his chest and continued to stare at Raven.

"...I..."

Beast Boy squinted his eyes. He wasn't sure what Raven was up to.

"I want you to want _me_!" Raven ended up bursting out. She then phased into her room.

Beast Boy stood there agape and arms now slumped on his sides.

"She's in love with me?"

Raven arrived at her room and dropped herself facedown on the bed.

She tried to calm down, but as she felt her magic going haywire and books and grooming items being flung around in her room, she knew she just couldn't do it.

It was a mistake, she thought. She shouldn't have confessed to Beast Boy, especially after an argument with his truly.

But it just got to the point of desperation, she thought to herself. She had always wondered how pure love felt. She always had to restrain it in her mind and her heart because it was so powerful.

What if Beast Boy and her did get on a relationship? What if, one day, she feels heartbroken, and does unfixable things to him? Her first and only heartbreak with Malchior was living proof.

That was why she always had, and maybe always should, take time.

_**I gotta take a little time**_

_**A little time to think things over**_

_**I better read between the lines**_

_**In case I need it when I'm colder**_

But then, experiencing the defeat of her father, the dreaded evil reincarnate of Trigon the Terrible, gave her the idea of being more open, a little less of an emo and a little more emotional.

She had a hard, painful life, save for the Teen Titans. As time goes by, she became gradually unsure if she wanted to keep it that way.

_**Hey**_

_**In my life, there's been heartache and pain**_

_**I don't know if I can face it again**_

_**Can't stop now, I've traveled so far**_

_**To change this lonely life**_

Most of all, she wanted to know what love is, and fro one particular person.

_**I wanna know what love is**_

_**I want you to show me**_

_**I wanna feel what love is**_

_**I know you can show me**_

Beast Boy paced back and forth in his room. He now knows that Raven likes him, and he does not know what to think.

He had been so focused on Terra, he had forgotten about Raven. They had a temporary fling before they met Terra and things changed. He had no idea Raven was still in love with him, he had thought she had accepted that they were just friends.

"What am I going to do?"

_**Hm, I'm gonna take a little time**_

_**A little time to look around me**_

_**I've got nowhere left to hide**_

_**It looks like love has finally found me**_

Beast Boy had been hurt by Terra at least twice. Could he stand more? With him and her separated for a couple of times already, wouldn't that already be a sign that the relationship would not last? Unless if it was against all odds, and he was the against-all-odds kind of guy.

But being with Raven, who he was like the polar opposite to, would also be an against-all-odds kind of thing.

As Beast Boy thought over everything, his liking for Raven had been reignited. His life had not been so happy-go-lucky. Come to think of it, he had not had much luck with the girls. He had not felt true love romantically, and he wanted to. So badly.

"I came too far. I don't want to grow too much to know what love is."

Mustering up the courage, he went to Raven's room.

_**Oh**_

_**In my life, there's been heartache and pain**_

_**I don't know if I can face it again**_

_**Can't stop now, I've traveled so far**_

_**To change this lonely life**_

Raven was still facedown. The carnage had ended, but she was still feeling... something. It might be love, but she wasn't one to tell if it was for she had not felt it before.

She was so into her mind that she did not notice Beast Boy entering her room. Since she had phased into her room, she forgot to lock the door. And even if it was locked, Beast Boy would go through it as a small animal.

He saw Raven slouched on her bed. It looked like as if she had been crying, but he knew her better than that.

He was breathing heavily, his heart was pumping rapidly. He quietly walked towards the bed.

And he lied down on Raven.

_**I wanna know what love is (know, whoa)**_

_**I want you to show me (me)**_

_**I wanna feel what love is (feel what love is)**_

_**And I know you can show me**_

_**Show me, I wanna know, whoa**_

_**Oh**_

Raven felt added weight on her back. She was about to counter whoever it was, but saw Beast Boy's gloved hands wrapping themselves around her.

She blushed as she then felt Beast Boy caress her hair intimately.

Thinking that Raven needed more space, Beast Boy moved both of them to their sides, his arms still taking care of Raven.

Raven turned until she was facing Beast Boy. He gave her his smile, his fang poking out. She cupped his left cheek with her right hand, and then slid it down to his chest.

When Beast Boy was with Raven, he felt that his pain in the past had been made up. The more he looked at Raven, the more he thought she was beautiful, inside and out. Raven's subtle and unconfident moves made her all the more adorable.

As for Raven, the longer she felt Beast Boy's hands and body, the more affirmed she was about her emotion. She looked straight into his eyes, and they shared their first kiss.

No words needed to be said to express their newfound feelings.

_**And I feel so much love**_

_**I wanna feel**_

_**And I know you can show me**_

_**Oh, oh, oh-oh**_

_**Let's talk about love**_

It was love.


	2. A Moment Like This

**(Author's Note: I got an idea that could continue this 'used to be' one-shot! It's not a (hopefully) legit story! I will still showcase a song per chapter! This one is A Moment Like This by Kelly Clarkson! I hope y'all can have a fine read and R&R please! =) )**

"Where did you bring me to, Raven?"

"Timothy's Poetry Cafe."

Beast Boy briefly scanned the dark cafe, its only source of light coming from the sun through a tiny glass window. In the cafe set around ten tables for two and on front and center was a slightly elevated platform that had a mic stand on it waiting to be used by the next poet.

Beast Boy pulled a chair near the stage and got Raven seated in a gentlemanly manner before taking his own seat.

"I guess we take our orders," Raven said, looking interestedly at the menu.

"What do we do now?" Beast Boy asked a preoccupied Raven.

"Wait."

Beast Boy nodded and then called, "Waiter!"

"No, Beast Boy! I said wait! Hold up," Raven shouted and corrected, but it was too late. The waiter had come, so the couple quickly chose their meal and took the orders. They were now waiting… in silence.

"So how's the food here?" Beast Boy asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know, Beast Boy. It opened three days ago. I want to try it out."

"There's barely anyone here!" Beast Boy pointed out, he was right. Only four tables have been occupied.

"It's a Tuesday afternoon, many people are busy this time around."

"Then why are we here?"

"'Cause we aren't busy and we're on a date for a whole day. We planned it yesterday that we'll spend the first half here and the second half in the carnival."

"Oh, right," Beast Boy said, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

Beast Boy stared at his glass of water on the table, wondering what his move should be. But before he could decide on a plan, Raven reached out to his hands and held them on the center of the tabletop.

"I'm sorry if you're bored here, Beast Boy," Raven said. "We can leave if you want."

A startled Beast Boy stared at Raven. Her beads of amethyst were like two stars pinned on a calming indigo night sky. Raven's eyes were more powerful and were far more capable in weakening him to his knees than her telekinetic powers ever were.

"No, Raven!" Beast Boy answered. "It's a set plan and it wouldn't be fair if we don't go through with it. I just..."

Before Beast Boy continued, he pulled himself and his chair towards Raven until he was right next to her instead of opposite her. This made Raven blush a bit.

"...want to be as close to you as possible."

_What if I told you it was all meant to be_  
_Would you believe me, would you agree?_

Raven giggled. Beast Boy could not help but notice that her giggle was not at the expense of her individuality. She had a different kind of laugh; monotone but a happy giggle nonetheless. It was enchanting, entrancing, endearing. It gave Beast Boy sparkles in his own eyes, like glittering diamonds in a pair of green pearls.

"Knock it off," Raven said monotonously, still blushing.

_It's almost that feeling we met before_  
_So tell me that you don't think I'm crazy_  
_When I tell you love has come here and now_

"Hell hath no fury, wherefore thy merry."

Raven and Beast Boy turned their heads to the direction of the stage when they heard a voice echoing across the room from a microphone. They saw a man was presenting his poem.

"Forevertheless, I shan't gone..."

"Is he even speaking English?" Beast Boy asked, a little too loudly that Raven had to shush him.

"Next time, you ought to whisper while someone's reciting a poem," she whispered to him.

"But it's so boring," Beast Boy whispered back.

The couple then heard a relatively quiet round of applause and quickly returned their attention to the poet, who had actually left the stage already.

"What? That's it?" Beast Boy said, earning another 'Shhh!' from his girlfriend. "Sorry."

Raven sighed, but answered anyway, "It's kind of a free mic; an open stage. It's only for reciting poems, though."

"Are all poems that complicated?"

Raven smiled and replied, "Sometimes, that's how a poem becomes loved. You learn its complications, and then you let it magically take you where it intends to go. Good complex poems are often better than _awesome_ mediocre ones because of the work it takes to get to love it, and the magnitude of how worthwhile it is once you do."

Beast Boy took in every word Raven whispered to him. Loved, complications, magically, worthwhile... It all reminded him of Raven somehow. He certainly took the time and effort to understand her, and he loved her so majorly due to her own personal complications. But in the end, it was all worth it. She was worth it. To him.

_A moment like this_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_  
_Some people search forever for that one special kiss_  
_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

"I want to get out there and try to recite one poem," Beast Boy announced quietly to his girlfriend. Raven raised an eyebrow and gave Beast Boy a disbelieving look.

"I bet you've never read or heard poems," she said, "except for the one just now."

"I know a poem or two!" Beast Boy said defensively. "But I was thinking of reciting one by me."

Raven then squinted her eyes. "Are you pulling my leg?"

"No, Raven!" Beast Boy was frustrated that Raven could not believe him, so he stood up from his chair, huffed his chest, and marched to the stage. All Raven could do was watch Beast Boy, wide-eyed.

"Ahem," Beast Boy cleared his throat, his mouth in front of the mic to efficiently catch everyone's attention. "This is my poem and this is dedicated to my girlfriend Raven."

_Everything changes but beauty remains_  
_Something so tender, I can't explain_

Everyone, including a wide-eyed Raven, intently paid attention to Beast Boy as he cleared his throat one more time before beginning his recital.

"Roses are red,  
Violets are blue,  
Ravens are purple,  
And beautiful too..."

Raven was shameless to let out a glowing smile at the cheesiness of her boyfriend's poem, and it had barely started.

"With the presence of a queen,  
The fight of a heroine,  
The beauty of a princess  
And the heart of a kinswoman..."

Beast Boy initially thought he would stutter frequently in his time of spotlight, but the words somehow came to him naturally. All he had to do was describe Raven, something he would love to do for a long time.

_Well, I may be dreaming but 'til I awake_  
_Can't we make this dream last forever?_  
_And I'll cherish all the love we share_

"She's the love of my life,  
The moon to my sun,  
My shadowy guidance  
The only one

Moments with her  
Would last a lifetime  
But forever's not enough  
It's a heartfelt crime

I will love her to the galaxies  
And back to Jump City again  
Nevermore shall I look for another  
No one's as awesome as Raven..."

Beast Boy took a slow bow at the silence before him. Raven, in particular, was stone hard silent.

_A moment like this_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_  
_Some people search forever for that one special kiss_  
_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

The cafe only burst into, not a round of applause, but a point. Only Raven had clapped for Beast Boy. The rest of the audience found it too cheesy, too amateur, and whatever reason that did not earn Beast Boy their hands. But Beast Boy was still extremely satisfied, though, because he at least made Raven clap.

Beast Boy made his way back to Raven and plopped himself onto his seat.

"That was extremely sweet of you, Beast Boy," Raven said, in probably the most happiest face and tone Beast Boy had ever seen or heard her. He puffed his chest and winked at Raven, feeling like a dashing debonair that delighted the dedicated damsel.

"Anything for the woman that made me a man and showed me what love is," he responded.

"But of course, no one will still call you Beast Man," Raven retorted softly. "Ugh, or Beast _Dude_."

Beast Boy snorted. "We're having a moment, don't ruin it."

Raven shook her head casually before leaning forward and giving Beast Boy a kiss on the cheeks.

Beast Boy touched the affected part of his face when Raven had leaned back. Raven did not have to see the hearts in Beast Boy's eyes and the stars circling above his head like a halo to know he was not ready for that and that he enjoyed it while it lasted, even if it were for a millisecond up to a nanosecond; it was the best feeling ever to him.

"I'll be with you in every moment from now on, be it physically or by heart. Don't worry," Raven reassured Beast Boy.

_Could this be the greatest love of all?_  
_I wanna know that you will catch me when I fall_  
_So let me tell you this_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

Beast Boy and Raven had received their Caesar salad and spent over ten minutes indulging in its crispiness and wholesomeness. Once they were done, they went back to staring into each other's faces.

"I've never noticed it before, Raven, but you have a really small mouth," Beast Boy pointed out.

"Is it bad?" Raven asked in monotone, but she was inwardly panicking, thinking Beast Boy disapproved of it.

"No, it's nothing, really. It's just something I just realized."

Raven playfully rolled her eyes and replied, "You just have a big mouth."

"True, true."

Raven looked into Beast Boy's eyes and smiled, adding, "If it makes you feel any better, you're actually a good kisser."

"We've only kissed once before," Beast Boy protested quietly. Before he could elaborate further, though, his face was smacked by Raven's, smack dab on the lips. Thank goodness they left the money on the table, because Raven's emotions went a little over the usual magnitude of her feelings and made the couple phase through the cafe.

_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_  
_Some people search forever for that one special kiss_  
_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_

"Holy smokes! Dude! Raven!" Beast Boy gasped once the lovers let go.

"What?" Raven asked, but got her answer with her eyes at the sight of cafe from the outside. "Did I do this? I'm sorry."

"It's fine. _Really,_" Beast Boy said happily, super satisfied at what he got a few seconds ago. "Shall we move on to the next phase of our date?"

Raven smiled and took Beast Boy by the hand. "Get on with it."

_Oh, like this,_  
_Oh, I can't believe it's happening to me_  
_Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this_  
_Oh, like this_

As Raven and Beast Boy walked (they thought taking their time was more romantic, and it was) towards the direction of the carnival, Raven dully, but with a hint of humor, noted, "This is going so much more better than my times with Goth Boy and Malchior."

**(Author's Endnote: It may seem all nice at the beginning, but every good story has got to have a twist, right?! And no, the kiss isn't it. But it was a good add I hope!)**


	3. Somebody That I Used To Know

Beast Boy eagerly waited at the long line leading to the entrance of the local amusement park. Even Raven put effort into at least showing some enthusiasm with a smile. But that part was easy. All she had to do was look at Beast Boy's childish excitement. It's like she was spending time with a friend, a lover AND a little child.

"That's the Aero Plunge! Oh, that one over there is the Eagle Rocket Wheel! And that's one of my favorites! It's called Splash Maze Turbo Flask!" Beast Boy yelled and pointed the respective rides for Raven to see.

"Relax, Beast Boy! We're not even in the park yet!" Raven told her excited boyfriend.

It took almost 20 minutes more queuing time for them to enter the Jump City Good Time Amusement Park. Upon setting foot into the recreatiomal grounds, Beast Boy led Raven towards his favorite ride.

"Beast Boy, I have no intentions of riding the Splash Maze Jumbo Craze or whatever that ride's called!" Raven protested as she was kept pulled by Beast Boy. He did not listen though. He kept going.

They were a few small steps away from the already long line when Raven used her powers to restrict the movements of Beast Boy's feet.

"Raven, what are you doing? We need to queue up."

Raven unintentionally shifted her eyes, released her boyfriend, and stated, "I don't think it's a good idea to have me go on that thing."

"Why?"

"I don't think whatever emotions I will feel riding these things will be anything but severe," Raven answered.

Beast Boy thought about what she said, then responded, "Listen to what you're saying! Of course you can control it!"

"But if I control it, that probably meant I have to seem bored riding that thing. There's no fun in that."

"Hm, I see," Beast Boy said. "That's a shame, but we'll not ride it if you're uncomfortable.

Raven smiled. "Thank you. But where to now?"

"There are plenty of other fun things we can do here, Raven! C'mon!"

Beast Boy pulled Raven to a game stall.

"Do you remember a couple of years ago, where I won you that prize?" Beast Boy asked Raven as he received a basket of fake coins for the game.

"When you got me a giant chicken?" Raven asked, recalling the event. Then she recalled her monotonous reply, and blushed in shame. "Sorry I was less than earnest back then. I didn't fully understand what it meant."

"What _what_ meant?" Beast Boy asked as he tossed a coin at the board, to no win. He offered Raven a coin.

"Love," Raven said as she accepted the offer and gave a try. Without her powers, her tossing ability needed more work.

"Nah, it's fine. I didn't understand love back then either," Beast Boy said. "But I have to admit, there was a little attraction for you in me before."

Raven chuckled before tossing another coin. "Who'd knew amusement park games were good for training?"

"Maybe that's how I got better," Beast Boy joked.

All they managed in that round of coin tossing was a small plushie. Raven won it, denying using her powers before giving it to Beast Boy.

"Let's go to the Jungle Boat next," Raven suggested.

Beast Boy's eyes shone just at Raven's suggestion. He agreed in excitement and once again pulled Raven to their next destination.

"Slow down, Beast Boy!" Raven told Beast Boy while stifling laughter. She was having fun...

Then, she saw someone she thought she knew.

"STOP!" Raven said much louder. Beast Boy halted and asked what the holdup was.

"Is that Terra?" she asked, pointing towards a water gun game stall. There that girl was; long, straight blonde hair, big blue eyes, skimmed beauty like a princess from a foreign country, but in a school uniform. If that wasn't Terra, the appearance is impeccably indistinguishable.

"Huh, I guess it is," Beast Boy said in an unenthusiastic tone. "Or, at least, who we think is Terra."

"So you were telling the truth," Raven said. "Even I can't tell any difference. Should we talk to her?"

Beast Boy shook his head. "Nah uh. Tried that; didn't work. Besides, look, she's leaving!"

Beast Boy and Raven eyed Terra with her two other friends that Beast Boy had met earlier.

"Come on," Raven whispered to Beast Boy. But it was redundant because the place was already so noisy there was no way Terra, or the blue eyed blonde, could have heard them. Raven hovered quietly and swiftly to where said girl was going to, hiding from time to time. Beast Boy hesitantly followed suit, as a minuscule fly. He really didn't like the idea.

_I've already tried making her remember,_ Beast Boy thought as he flew to Raven. He would've expressed his uncertainty then and there, but he was a mute whizzing fly.

_Now that Raven saw her, she believes me. But I've already lost belief that Terra - whoever she is - will ever remember. Or want to remember. Now she's just body I know, but somebody I used to know._

Raven and Beast Boy halted at the entrance to a boat ride, where the three schoolgirls had gone into.

_Now and then I think of when we were together_  
_Like when you said you felt so happy you could die_  
_Told myself that you were right for me_  
_But felt so lonely in your company_  
_But that was love and it's an ache I still remember_

"Let's get in," Raven told Beast Boy, who had resumed human form.

"Are you sure?" Beast Boy asked, grabbing Raven by the arm to stop her from entering the attraction. "What if she doesn't want to remember? Or does not remember at all? I did tell you that I have tried."

"I can get into her memory and see if she's lying," Raven suggested somewhat impatiently.

"Is that ethical?" Beast Boy wondered. Raven shrugged. She didn't really think about it. She had done it only twice; once on Robin, only because he was in dire state. The other was on Plasmus; she had to see his memories in order to wear out his mind to put him to sleep.

Raven sighed and replied, "You're right. It looks like we'll have to find another way. But it doesn't make sense; how did she get here? You said her statue was gone. It doesn't add up!"

Beast Boy suddenly placed a hand on her mouth, making the rest of her sentence inaudible. He thought he saw someone in the attraction.

Beast Boy said with unexpected urgency and determination, "We may not know whether she's lying or not, but we now have a reason to get in there to get to her. Let's go!"

_You can get addicted to a certain kind of sadness_  
_Like resignation to the end, always the end_  
_So when we found that we could not make sense_  
_Well you said that we would still be friends_  
_But I'll admit that I was glad it was over_

"Why a change of mind?"

"Slade's after her too!" Beast Boy shouted. "Terra!"

Beast Boy and Raven flew past a few boats among a jungle scenery before reaching the three girls. Beast Boy resumed human form and was hovering on Raven's conjured hovering disk. Beast Boy called out Terra again, and then the blonde looked up.

"It's that Titan again!" said the brunette in an annoyed tone. "Won't he ever leave us alone?"

"What do you want now?" the desired girl asked in a commanding tone.

"We want you to come with us," Raven said.

"Oh, look, he brought the witch," the brown-skinned girl muttered.

"They better not taste my patience," Raven quietly said through gritted teeth.

"Terra, I know you barely believed me but please, listen; you're in trouble!" Beast Boy yelled.

"As if saying my life's at risk will make me want to do as you say."

Beast Boy and Raven were getting frustrated by the minute. Beast Boy had spotted Slade, and he was definitely waiting for prey, and he was either after Beast Boy and Raven or Terra or both.

_But you didn't have to cut me off_  
_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_  
_And I don't even need your love_  
_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

"Give us one more chance," Beast Boy pleaded. "I still don't know how or why this is happening, but you have to bet on it we will try to solve it!"

Beast Boy could see the vulnerability and confusion on the blonde's face.

He added, "Do you even know how your school, civilian life started?"

The blonde's eyes widened. Her two friends shook her, trying to get her out of her thinking or shocked state, whatever it was, they weren't sure themselves.

"No," she replied.

Beast Boy smiled. "Then, come with us - oomph!"

"That won't be the case, unfortunately for you," said a distinct male voice.

Beast Boy had been kicked off the hovering disk by Slade and they had begun fighting on a large stage-sized prop.

Raven flew to their direction to help but Beast Boy shooed her off.

"Go save Terra!" he ordered, and Raven nodded.

"Terra, let's go!" Raven said as she flew in the opposite direction. The girls on the boat had been screaming ever since Beast Boy had been tackled down.

Terra was the first to recover and she saw Raven.

"No, whoever you are! Until you give me solid proof!" the girl they called Terra shouted.

"There's no time! We'll find an explanation later!" Raven responded. She reached out to 'Terra' and at contact, she saw her memories.

_No you didn't have to stoop so low_  
_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number_  
_I guess that I don't need that though_  
_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_  
_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

It was all in spurs of moments, but the first thing Raven saw, in Terra's eyes, was a cave. Then, the rest of the memories were jumbled images. She saw Terra moving earth, climbing up to above ground, in the canyons where the Teen Titans first encountered her a few years ago, going to school, talking with her friends, studying, reading articles about the Teen Titans and how they saved the Earth from the Brotherhood of Evil, fighting with the White Monster and escaping from it, more school life, meeting Beast Boy, talking to herself regarding Beast Boy and not letting him know she remembers, and the moment they were in now.

Raven could only stare in awe at Terra as she still held onto her.

Terra sighed. She had no reason to lie now.

"Raven, go!" Beast Boy shouted before turning into a gorilla to fend off Slade from getting near the girls. The rest of the people in the attraction had escaped, some had to swim.

"Let's just get on with it!" Terra said in defeat, taking Raven's offered hand.

Raven found back her bearings and nodded in understanding.

"Ladies, this may be eerie, but we're getting out of here," Raven told the three girls before teleporting them four out of the boat and out of the park.

In Raven's mind, she was beginning to feel anger over why Terra had not told the team about her return, or at least admitted to Beast Boy that she had known that she had been well associated with the Teen Titans. Raven did not see Terra's memories prior to her turning to stone, but from what she did see, it seemed like she knew all along. Raven could not help but wonder what Terra's intentions were; whether to screw up the Titans again, or if she really was confused in some way.

_Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over_  
_But had me believing it was always something that I'd done_  
_But I don't wanna live that way_  
_Reading into every word you say_  
_You said that you could let it go_  
_And I wouldn't catch you hung up on somebody that you used to know_

Terra and her two friends fell to the ground once Raven released them from her concealment. A quick look around showed them that they were just outside the amusement park.

"Quick! Let's make a run for it!" said one of the very scared schoolgirls. Terra's two friends immediately ran away. Terra just stood there and stayed, face down as if in shame.

"Terra, you remember," Raven muttered, looking at Terra.

"I'm sorry..."

Raven was about to interrogate Terra further, but thought it would be too rough on her. She was not about to stoop to Terra's level. The worry for Beast Boy and the innocent in that attraction also refrained her from asking Terra more questions.

"I am going back to make sure no one - except Slade - gets hurt," Raven told Terra, who was quite unresponsive. "Don't go anywhere."

With that, Raven returned to the fray.

_But you didn't have to cut me off_  
_Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing_  
_And I don't even need your love_  
_But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

"You're after Terra, Slade! What do you want from her this time?"

Beast Boy growled at the man standing poised before him. The first minutes of their feud had caused damage to parts of the ride, and people were in the middle of evacuation.

"Foolish changeling, you have no idea what's going on with her, do you?"

Slade cracked his knuckles and assumed fighting stance, taunting Beast Boy to make the first move.

"It seems like you've been gone for longer than you hoped for," he added.

Beast Boy growled some more. He was about to thrust himself towards Slade when something dark caught his eye. Raven had just teleported back into the attraction, and he noted that Terra wasn't with her.

"Raven! Where's Terra?" Beast Boy called out.

"I left her outside the amusement park! I couldn't just let you and other innocent people get hurt!"

There was then a shout and a sound of impact as Slade's right fist violently met Beast Boy's left cheek.

"Beast Boy!"

Raven flew up quickly to her boyfriend's aid, only to have been stopped by Beast Boy's command upon recovery.

"No, Raven! Save the people!"

Raven nodded in understanding and got back to work. She quickly spotted a struggling swimmer and saved her from drowning. Meanwhile, Beast Boy and Slade continued doing battle.

"Tell me what you want from her now!" Beast Boy shouted in fury.

"That's why they say patience is a virtue, young naive one," Slade said calmly while dodging Beast Boy's continuous attacks. "You will find out in due time. And since Terra has probably escaped - mind you I doubt she's still waiting outside - I don't have any business here. So, until we meet again."

With that, Slade dodged Beast Boy's attack for the last time in bull form before he jumped out from an opening and was out of sight.

Beast Boy growled and threw something at a random but safe place.

_No you didn't have to stoop so low_  
_Have your friends collect your records and then change your number_  
_I guess that I don't need that though_  
_Now you're just somebody that I used to know_

"Raven, go see if Terra really has left. I'll take care of the people in here," Beast Boy told Raven once he got to her.

"Okay," Raven said, and she, too, was temporarily out of Beast Boy's sight.

Raven returned to where Terra should have been waiting.

"Terra?" It did not take the empath long to realize that Slade was right; Terra ran away. Raven sighed, less than eager to break the news to the angered Beast Boy. This was supposed to be a fun date for them.

"It looks like fun has to wait yet again," Raven told herself in monotone but with hints of frustration and disappointment.

_Somebody_ _(I used to know)_  
_Somebody_ _(Now you're just somebody that I used to know)  
Somebody (I used to know)_  
_Somebody (Now you're just somebody that I used to know)_

Once Beast Boy had rescued the people in the boat ride, the couple warned the Titans of Terra and Slade via communicator and returned home as soon as they could.

"Friends, are you okay? Have you been injured?" Starfire quickly asked in worry at the sight of Raven and Beast Boy. She was babying Beast Boy, making sure he received no bruises and did not require immediate medical attention.

"We're fine, Star," Beast Boy said. "What's not fine is that Slade's after Terra. And this time, we're sure it's her."

"Don't worry, Beast Boy, we'll get him," Robin assured his teammate with serious determination, only to see Beast Boy sulk a bit.

"We've been told that before, Robin! And yet, he's still here! He's like a roach that just won't be gone from the face of this world!"

"Chill, man! Remember, this is Slade we're talking about. He's a tough cookie to crack, but that does not mean we should stop strengthening ourselves for our battles against him," Cyborg told his angered friend, giving him a gentle and reassuring pat on the back.

"They're right, Beast Boy," Raven said quietly, who was now being inspected for injuries by Starfire.

"And what about Terra?" the alien princess asked.

Raven sighed, "I saw her memories. She remembers us alright. There's just something either keeping her from admitting it, or something making her not want to admit it. From how she apologized to me after I saved her and her school friends, I'm leaning towards the latter."

"I'm thinking she's not telling us the truth because there are more things beneath the fact that she remembers us. Something deeper, something from before us..."

Robin thought out loud as the rest of the team tried to come up with ideas of their own.

"But for now, I'm just glad you guys didn't get hurt, and we need to rest I guess. It's night."

_(I used to know)_  
_(That I used to know)_  
_(I used to know)_  
_Somebody_

"Terra, Terra, Terra..."

Slade repeated the name as he watched past tapes of Terra when she was being apprenticed by him.

"I was stupid to not have used my knowledge of you the last time because I thought it would do more damage to me than development. But now I'm back from the dead, you are too, and we're back basically in square one, I guess I have no choice but to use your past to advance myself in beating the Titans.

I also guess that means I willl be meeting the original you soon, Tara Markov."


	4. Free

**(Author's Note: This song is Free by Haley Reinhart. This song is commonly interpreted to revolve around lovers, so I thought just putting the lyrics as I normally would would make it seem irrelevant and even wrong. So I made most of them as parts of the dialogues, in italics! I hope you guys enjoy this so far, favorite, review, anything! =) Also, huge thanks to LadyFelton, Egyptiandude, gabylokita, Gabrielus Prime, Pugpie15, deathdeathdeath, Nkcandygirl, BUTTERCUPISME, Harmonious Wolf, Kuratu, musicman159 & wolfking98 for the fave/alert/review! Late, I know, but I felt I had to do it anyway!)**

"I'm safe. Grateful decency."

Terra sighed in relief and walked on the pavement in the direction of her hideout; in a dank alley where she made herself home.

Twenty minutes later, she arrived 'home'. She concealed herself in a fitting room made of earth to change.

Living alone in dirty conditions would have been more of a downer if she did not have her superpowers. But she hated having powers too. They were the primary reasons she was caught in such a mess.

Once she cleaned herself - not by showering but by using her powers to remove all kinds of natural dirt from her - and got changed, she stepped out of her cover. She was going to cook dinner next.

Her mind was so troubled with thoughts of Beast Boy and the events that just occurred that she did not realize that there was someone spying on her.

"Let's see what I can eat tonight," Terra talked to herself as she began scavenging.

"Why do you let yourself go downhill?"

Terra knew that voice all too well. She widened her eyes and looked around cynically.

"H-how d-did -"

"Terra..."

Slade then appeared right in front of the panicked geomancer. Terra instantly backed away as if Slade were a creature from a horror movie. He practically was, with his stalker-ish ways of doing his businesses.

"Stay away from me!" Terra yelled in a grave tone from fear.

Slade let out a sound that gave Terra the impression that it was a snicker, but it was kind of an arrogant one.

"You do know there is no way of getting away from all your troubles, right? _It's not like I'm invisible._ After all, even after all this time of our supposed doom up until the moment we breathed on Earth again, _you still wear me under your skin. _Haven't you ever wondered how you were brought back to life from being a stone?"_  
_

Slade slowly walked towards Terra while Terra kept the distance between them constant by taking backward steps. Terra wanted to attack, but it would just confirm what Slade was trying to tell her to open up to.

"Come now, Terra," Slade continued. "Don't leave me hanging on. You have a mouth, use it. Before, _when we talk_, our relationship was less than a master-apprentice one. Now, it still feels like _we don't talk at all_."_  
_

Terra did not give a respond, but did react by continuing to keep her distance from him.

"Surely, you have wondered the what-ifs of your life. What are you still doing here in Jump City, where the Teen Titans can easily spot you?"

Terra was now breathing heavily. She was about to pass out when she found herself at a dead end.

"Oh, that's right," Slade continued messing with Terra, "that's because if you can't get out 're _too weak to leave, too stubborn to give in_. You're living a life in a pending decision."

With Terra stopped at her tracks, Slade finally closed the gap.

"But I can help you," he breathed softly but eerily as he was a few inches in front of the scared teen.

"Why do you still need me? I'm not much use anymore," Terra finally spoke, her voice trembling like an earthquake.

"Progress; finally."

Slade backed away from Terra to give her space to calm down.

"I'm not here to make you work for me, I've grown past that," Slade said. "I'm actually here to help get you what you have lost. Long time ago."

"What are you talking about?"

Terra avoided eye contact with Slade as if he were Medusa ready to turn her into stone. She was definitely feeling as cold as a lone stone with the shivers she was currently receiving.

Slade continued, completely aware of how big of an upper hand he's had on her.

"So, _who is going to be the first to say a truce?_"

"How about you and we can just get this over with?" Terra said straightforwardly, still avoiding his eyes.

"_It's not enough that we should part._ There's no use in that. We _can't stop fighting too_."_  
_

Terra was extremely irritated and afraid. When will Slade leave?

"I don't need to be helped. I'm fine with where I am. But thanks to you, the Teen Titans know I've been pretending and are probably working on tracking me down."

"We've had our moments that _we don't let go_. But still _we can't get close_. Let's just say I want to make up to you by giving you a head start before they interrogate you."

Terra heaved a rough sigh in frustration.

"It's not that I have a grudge on the Teen Titans," she explained. "On the contrary, in any other circumstances I would voluntarily return to them at my... reincarnation. But I don't want to let them be involved anymore in my life."

"I know, Terra..."

"There is one thing I want you to tell me."

"How did you reincarnate?" Slade asked the question in Terra's mind. Terra nodded. He continued, "Well then, we have our case of '_I still need you, and you still need me__'._"

"I can live without ever knowing my life and death," Terra retorted coldly.

"You're lying, Terra. It's visible in your expressions; how confused you are of your very existence, how willing you are to find out what happened, and apparently also how scared and mad you are of me. But _this tug of war can't go on anymore_, Terra. I have something that can give you relief, and you can somewhat do the same for me. _Nobody wins from this misery_; it's time to set yourself _free_ from your emotional pain and harmed mentality."

Terra uncomfortably shifted a bit in her spot, halfway to facing Slade. "_Well..."_

"Are you seriously still considering it, Terra?" Slade said in disbelief, but in his ever-collected tone. "_Oh__, _Terra. _Can't you see_ what I'm trying to do for you? This conversation we're having, it's only because _I want to be_, but also because _I want you to be_, I want us to be _free_."

Terra sighed. She was really considering the consequences and the relief that could be brought to her with her decision. She had made it, and was half-glad and half-regretful for it.

She turned around, finally seeing Slade's masked face.

"Tell me how I was basically born again," she demanded.

"Very good, Terra," Slade said, an unnoticeable hint of triumph in his tone, with the difference being that he spoke a bit louder and in a slightly higher pitch. "But I don't want to tell you that now. Not when I have something else to tell you that should be far more important."

"It's not about the Teen Titans, is it?" Terra did not care so much for the teen superheroes anymore, even Beast Boy, as long as they were not severely hurt, and she did not like the idea of going back to them after pretending that she had lost her memories.

"No, Terra. It delves much more into your past; something far more personal."

Slade randomly examined the roughness of the concrete wall of the alley as he went on.

"Do you remember, when we first met, that I told you that I know more about you than you know?"

Terra nodded. "You showed me my hair clip."

"Yes. Please recall who gave that to you. Was it your mother?"

Terra's eyes widened.

"How did you know?" Terra asked loudly.

"Like I've said. I also know that that clip was the last thing your mom gave to you that had sentimental value before your parents went on an experimenting spree."

"Where on Earth did you get such information?!"

"They were finding a way to enhance people's strengths and capabilities of fighting. One time, you got in their way on purpose when they were experimenting on your best friend. You saved him and neither of you were injured. Or it seemed like it. A few nights later, you got a nightmare, and that continued for countless nights, going crazy with events in your mind you've never encountered or even imagined before."

"Wait a minute!" Terra said, interrupting Slade's story. "There's only one person I've told about my nightmares to, and only one person who's comforted me during those nights!"

"Your brother; yes."

"So you get the information from him? But I thought he was executed!"

"Information for that remains confidential upon request."

"Since when have you become a person keeping your word, Slade?"

"At times. Now, I also know that you left your family - your old world - after a fallout with your mother. You used your powers for the first time unknowingly, and against her. Mind-numbed and frightened, you left your home, and your area, with the help of your powers to escape. You've been running ever since."

"Why are you telling me this?" Terra asked with tears trickling down her eyes as she recalled the events.

"I'm here to finish a mission; to bring you home."

"And why would you do that?"

"Let's just say there were incentives."

"Well, then," Terra said, sniffing and trying to stop her eyes from pouring tears, "too bad. I refuse to go home; they hate me, after what I have done. My mother, especially, is probably disgusted to have a counterproductive daughter like me. She has super high standards that I just know I couldn't meet, even with superpowers."

"But with time, things have definitely changed," Slade said in one of his least used tones; assurance. "_It's not like she isn't loving you_ right now. She even believes that in your current state it's best for you to find a place to feel like a family again as _it's just that you can't be alone for too long_."

"I don't know, Slade..."

"I promise, Terra, I'm not here to torture you like the last time. I believe you wouldn't do my bidding anyway. For that, _I'd like to wish you all the happiness_ your family can give you if you choose to return."

"How can I trust you? What if you're lying?"

"You're right, Terra. I could have an ulterior motive and _maybe the truth is, it will kill me if you move on_ from your past when I'm trying to alleviate both ours. So, _who is going to be the first to say enough_? I'm not ready to give up on my past, because that's what develops me in the future. I've done bad things in my life before I put on this mask for the first time, and being dead and born again has really got me thinking of having one life to live."

"Then why are you still masked?"

"I've done too much damage here in Jump City. I don't want to expose myself and have it spread to other parts of the world."

"So you want to start anew?"

"Hm... You can say that. So, what do you say? Why do we have to find out _who is going to be the first one to find true love_ when we have a potential solution for a win-win?"

Terra thought about it for awhile. She knew more than anyone except the Teen Titans not to completely trust Slade, but there was still that small chance that good things are waiting for her if she picked the right decision.

"You're not going to hurt the Teen Titans?"

Slade lifed his right hand up, "I swear unless they try to hurt me."

Terra took a deep breath, and stated her decision.

"I'm going to try to break free."

_We don't let go, we can't get close  
__I still need you, and you still need me  
__This tug of war can't go on anymore  
__Nobody wins from this misery, free  
__Well oh can't you see, I wanna be, I want you to be, free_

Slade informed Terra that they would be leaving immediately. Since Terra had nothing to take with her other than the clothes on her back, it literally took no time at all.

"We're going incognito, as always," Slade told his ex-apprentice as he swiftly jumped up to a short block, Terra quietly following suit with her powers to catch up to him.

"Aren't you going to explain to me how I was brought back to life?" Terra hastily asked as she was on a flying conjured rock with beside Slade.

"Not now, Terra. I'll tell you once we get there. Think of it as a collateral," Slade reassured. "But for now, just _let it be_."

"We're leaving the country, right? So we'll be out of Jump City," Terra pointed out.

Slade appeared to be aware of it as he gave no big reaction. Instead, he replied, "Jump City and I have never even been on good terms. But for now, we shall just _let it be just a beautiful memory_."

"A beautiful somewhat tragic memory with a year's worth of gap," Terra commented, lightening her own mood a bit. "It's just crazy that I'm going with you after I've betrayed you. But let's make it clear; I still don't trust you."

"No one does. And that's what can a life-redeeming experience can do to you. They say _anything that starts will have an ending_, but there's a new beginning on top of that that the idioms missed. This is our new beginning."

Terra looked out at the night sky. It was between dusking twilight and breaking dawn. "I guess so."

"It's good that you _let it go_ that easily," Slade said, and Terra couldn't tell if he was being sincere or not.

The fact that they were so high up at night made it easy for them to go to their destination without being sighted. This went on for a few minutes when another questions popped into Terra's mind.

"Wait! What about Brian? Please tell me how he's alive!"

"It's a very complex story. But before I tell you this... bedtime tale, you must promise me that you will remain your mind on the objective at hand, no matter how tempting to do otherwise. Like the Teen Titans, for your brother you will _let it go_."

"_Yeah_!" Terra answered impatiently.

"It's funny and ironic, actually," Slade began, "he's masqueraded himself as a person I've met before. Who have worked for me like you have, and who have betrayed me like you have."

"An apprentice?" Terra wondered. She searched her memories for any hints. She recalled the time she was under Slade's control, and was fighting one-on-one against Robin.

"I see you are in deep concentration," Slade noted, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you thinking of the Titans?"

Terra shook her head in response, then lied, "No. I'm not be_cause__ we both know this will only be over when we're free_. So, no Titans."

She went on anyway.

"But Robin had told me he was an apprentice for you before I was. He's obviously not my brother. Even if I couldn't see his eyes ever, I know he's not Brian."

"You're right, it's not Robin, but it was. You just have not met him yet."

Terra pouted. "Why on Earth do you have to be so cryptic?"

"Well, until you figured it out, we're continuing with our mission."

With that said, silence fell upon them as Terra hovered the rock forward, towards the very small European country of Markovia.

_Yeah, Oh, when we're free_  
_Oh, I know, oh_

_We don't let go, we can't get close_  
_I still need you, and you still need me_  
_This tug of war can't go on anymore_  
_Nobody wins from this misery, free_  
_Well oh can't you see, I wanna be, I want you to be, whoa, free_  
_I wanna be, I want you to be, oh can't we be, free_  
_Oh I wanna be free_


	5. Goodbye To You

**(A/N: This song is Goodbye To You by Michelle Branch! I hope it's okay! Please review, favorite, follow, anything to show that you support/give your opinion on this story! =) )**

As the Sun begins the daily routine of the majority of Jump Citizens by rising itself over the city, the heroic Teen Titans themselves got up to start their days. Even Beast Boy, who would usually wake up a lot later in any normal circumstances, had woken himself up at 7 a.m.

Starfire had left the tower to take Silkie for a walk. She was allowed to walk him anywhere in Jump City not because she was a local superhero, but because she thought it was allowed. None of the 'Not Allowed' signs mentioned killer moth larvae in their restrictions.

After a meaty, hearty breakfast, Cyborg had excused himself to the garage to tend to his 'baby'. That left Robin, Raven and Beast Boy in the Main Ops room. The three had decided to look for Terra and find out what they did not knew that she did.

Robin, as the leader, was ready for hero work as always. But this time, he let Beast Boy take charge. After their fight in the Brotherhood of Evil, he realized that Beast Boy can handle anything massive if it's most personal to him. And his past relationship with Terra was as personal as a person can personalize themselves with. Raven was there to help because after finding out that Beast Boy had been right all along, that Terra had returned from being stone and that she had been pretending that she had no memory of being Terra, Raven wanted to know Terra's explanation for her acting. And especially since Terra had escaped from her and Beast Boy after she saved her (but then again, Terra still had her powers so she could have escaped herself nonetheless), that meant her mission had not been properly completed.

"What do you want to do, Beast Boy?" Robin asked Beast Boy as the masked leader concentrated on the screen of scans of local newspaper clippings in front of him while Beast Boy stuffed the remains of his breakfast down his throat.

"I'm going to see Terra in her school," Beast Boy responded. "If she's not there, I'll track down her friends and ask them for where she is. If they know what's good for her," he punched his open hand for emphasis, "they will tell me what I need to know."

"Just don't get disappointed with what you find, okay?" Raven told her boyfriend. After that encounter yesterday, Raven had no doubt in her mind that Beast Boy was going to do everything he could to get answers. She wouldn't do so much if she were in his situation, but they're different people. Ultimately, she had to respect his decision.

"Don't worry, Raven," Beast Boy assured, giving his concerned girlfriend a smile, "I'll be neutral going into this task. You don't have to be concerned of us getting back together. Pah, with all the lying and running away Terra's been doing, the likelihood of that's drifting away from reality."

Raven nodded and replied, "I know, Beast Boy. It's just you I'm worried about."

"So when are you going?" Robin asked. The time at that moment was 8:45 a.m.

"Now, school should be starting if it had not started," Beast Boy said.

"Are you sure you don't need any help? We can help convince Terra," Robin offered, but Beast Boy rejected the help, stating that centering the attention around the high school would be overly suspicious.

"When you're out, Robin and I will be looking for any reports on Slade's whereabouts," Raven informed Beast Boy before he took off as a pigeon.

Beast Boy arrived at Terra's school in a matter of minutes. Beast Boy scanned the crowd of students for Terra or her friends. He quickly spotted the two friends waiting by a bench.

"Hey!" Beast Boy called. The girls had to be familiar with that high raspy male voice by now so they knew that whoever was screaming was calling them. They glared at the direction of the call, directly at Beast Boy. The two sides were separated by a net, but the girls made their way to Beast Boy, which surprised him. But he realized that there was no sign of Terra.

"Hi, ladies," he greeted. They were obviously sneering at him.

"Where is our friend?!" they both shouted loudly in unison, making Beast Boy whimper.

Beast Boy stood his ground, in disbelief that Terra's friends would believe that the Teen Titans had kept her from them.

"What are you talking about?" Beast Boy inquired in equal volume. "Terra was gone when Raven and I returned from the fight!"

"Liar! She would've contacted us by now!" one of the friends argued from the other side of the gate.

"It's the truth!" But that had Beast Boy wondering where Terra truly was.

"This is all his fault," the other schoolgirl told her friend, referring to Beast Boy. "If he hadn't returned to her life and ruined it, she wouldn't have gone missing under her own accord!"

"_Me?_" Beast Boy yelled incredulously. "I was trying to help her!"

"Get this one last time," the female began imperatively, "she does _not_ want to go with you and your superhero friends! Leave her alone! Get on with your life! Don't run towards something that's been long since gone!"

It was only then did Beast Boy swallowed the thing he had been in denial about. Hearing it by a third-person view just seemed to give him the bigger picture. Terra was over with the Teen Titans. With him.

Beast Boy sighed, and said calmly, "You're right."

"I am?"

"Yeah. Dude, I don't know what came over me. I became too desperate, but Terra did not want to go back to us. I should've stopped when she refused. Thanks for telling me, though."

"Anytime," the girl said offhandedly as Beast Boy turned around and walked away. "And her name is not Terra!"

Beast Boy sighed one last time and whispered, probably the last time he'll utter the name, "Her name _was_ Terra."

_Of all the things I've believed in_  
_I just want to get it over with_  
_Tears form behind my eyes_  
_But I do not cry_  
_Counting the days that pass me by_

Beast Boy decided to walk the way home, allowing him ample time to reflect everything over, like a concluding thought to his rocky relationship with Terra.

"All these years, my heart stayed with her. I've never forgotten about her, and I was readily prepared to embrace her back after I saw her. I never left her, save for the Brotherhood of Evil mission, yet she left me in a heartbeat. She didn't even explain herself despite us knowing the truth about her so-called reincarnation. She still has a place in my heart, probably will forever as a childhood friend and the woman in my life that I had 'woulda coula shoulda' moments with...

"Enough, Beast Boy," he scolded himself. He halted and took a look at where he was. He sighed. He saw the new complex in construction. The one that replaced one of his favorite hangout spots. Like that spot, Terra had been replaced without him realizing.

"You're repeating your thoughts now," Beast Boy continued to scold himself. "Everyone's telling you to move on! Cut it out!"

_I've been searching deep down in my soul_  
_Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old_  
_It feels like I'm starting all over again_  
_The last three years were just pretend_  
_And I said_

Beast Boy continued walking, trying to shadow his past with something else. He just didn't know what. But he just needed something that would enable him to say goodbye to the people and places that had left him.

"Goodbye to you, Terra," he gravely uttered under his own breath.

_Goodbye to you_  
_Goodbye to everything I thought I knew_  
_You were the one I loved_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

Beast Boy arrived at the park, and more memories of Terra and him together bombarded his thoughts automatically.

He vividly remembered those times when he shamelessly looked into her bright blue eyes, telling her jokes that she would laugh at. He missed those moments. But hearing laughter from his jokes was not the only thing that meant the world to him, he came to realize.

He pictured Terra's long blond hair. Beautiful, elegant, strands of sunshine that he got blinded by.

He had to face those memories if he were to move on. He walked past the park and basically put those memories in the back burner.

_I still get lost in your eyes_  
_And it seems that I can't live a day without you_  
_Closing my eyes and you chase my thoughts away_  
_To a place where I am blinded by the light_  
_But it's not right_

"Goodbye to you, Terra," he repeated slightly louder. He wanted to be confident in saying it until he got tired of it and until it ultimately any sentimental value and painful dagger stab feeling.

_Goodbye to you_  
_Goodbye to everything I thought I knew_  
_You were the one I loved_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

Beast Boy made it to the shore, with the small island, premise of the Titans Tower, across the sea. From afar, he could see the shore. Where he shared some of his most emotional and heartfelt moments. With Raven and with Terra. Today, he was thinking of the moments with Terra.

The rocks held the most memories and they were nearest to his home, so he had to try the hardest to face them. Facing them would also hurt the most.

But after several tries, this time he was to overcome the treacherous slope.

_And it hurts to want everything and nothing at the same time_  
_I want what's yours and I want what's mine_  
_I want you_  
_But I'm not giving in this time_

_Goodbye to you, Terra_, he shouted in his mind as a hummingbird as he flew to the other side, to the tower. He vowed to himself that once he set foot back into the tower, he would not be involved in any Terra incident unless it affected the team or if Terra was - like in any other normal superhero circumstances - in distress.

_Goodbye to you_  
_Goodbye to everything I thought I knew_  
_You were the one I loved_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

Beast Boy resumed human form and landed on his favorite spot on the shore; the night where he first learned how to skip rocks, with Terra.

With the wind sweeping past against Beast Boy's front, the heartbroken green-skinned self-proclaimed heartthrob faced the sea. He inhaled the scent of the splashing sea before he took a deep breath.

Then, articulately and with finality, he bellowed in a half-despairing and half-empowering tone.

"Goodbye to you, Terra!"

_Goodbye to you_  
_Goodbye to everything I thought I knew_  
_You were the one I loved_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_  
_The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

That was his last step to moving on. With one last swift glance at the shore, he turned around and headed for the tower. _This is it,_ he thought to himself. He was to never think of Terra again. Beneath the stars where she wanted to be, he would still be there, alive and awake, but only if the stars fall, when she is in her greatest need or if anyone else was in their greatest need because of her, would he go and help.

He entered the Main Ops room, and saw Raven and Robin.

_And when the stars fall_  
_I will lie awake_  
_You're my shooting star_

"Beast Boy!" Raven called out, in a tone that Beast Boy interpreted that she missed him.

"I didn't find Terra, she's gone incognito. Voluntarily, I presume," he said with indifference in his tone.

"There's a legitimate and serious explanation for that," Robin said.

"Why?"

Raven gestured her hand to lead Beast Boy's attention to the large computer screen.

She said, with, now Beast Boy realized, worry in her tone, "Terra's with Slade."

**(A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger!)**


	6. Holding Out For A Hero

**(Author's Note: Hello guys! Here's the next chapter, featuring Bonnie Tyler's Holding Out For A Hero! I apologize if this chapter seems uninspired, I just kind of struggled compressing it.**

**A thing to take note that I haven't addressed is that Trouble in Tokyo DOES NOT happen in this fanfic! So yeah, some RobStar here!**

**And finally, but most importantly, thank you to Nkcandygirl for the review and ASwaggDancer & blueyzangel for favoriting and anazoy23 for putting my fanfic on alert! I really really appreciate it! Makes me happy!)**

"Or, at least, it believably seems like it," Robin added. He saw Beast Boy's bewildered and concerned face, and Robin reassured, "He hasn't done anything to her. Yet. But he has sent us a message while you were away."

"We've called Cyborg and Starfire to get her ASAP if you can wait until they are-"

"I'd want to watch it now, better sooner than later," Beast Boy interrupted Raven, which Raven did not completely take lightly but completely understood his situation and feelings that had caused him to be especially impatient.

With a sigh, Robin nodded in understanding and, with a press of a button, a video of Slade appeared at the platinum screen.

"Hello, Titans," Slade's voice echoed across the common room. "I would like to spend some time giving you the juices of my latest wrongdoings that I'm sure you all would love to hear, but I'm sorry to disappoint. Well, actually, I'm not. I'm here _to_ disappoint, so I'll cut straight to the chase."

In just the introductory speech, Beast Boy had made his way from the door to the front of the screen, an unhealthy distance from his eyes, but that didn't matter to anyone at that moment.

Slade, or more accurately Slade in that video, continued, "Terra's with me. Not by force, but, as usual, by persuasion. At the moment of taking this message, we are en route to a destination highly likely unknown to you but very, very familiar to Terra."

"Where are you taking her?!" Beast Boy shouted, forgetting that it was a video.

The video seemed to have heard Beast Boy, for Slade answered, "I am allowed to, however, hint you on our destination. But that is only if you think she is brought to trouble, which I can assure you right now that it's not my intention in any shape or form. She is not my apprentice anymore and, truthfully, I could've cared less about her if there wasn't something else in store for me.

"So, I have planted three clues throughout Jump City. I planned on making it hard for you all because I want to see how much you are willing to give up for this girl who declares that she does not want anything to do with all of you anymore. You better be as strong as Hercules, as wise as a person of devoted faith, and as willed as a white knight if you want to get all three clues _and _find out our destination, though. So, for the first time in my life, and, well, post-afterlife, I wish you good luck."

_Where have all the good men gone_  
_And where are all the gods?_  
_Where's the street-wise Hercules_  
_To fight the rising odds?_  
_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_  
_Late at night I toss and I turn and I dream of what I need_

"There's no clue to where the... first clue is?" Beast Boy asked, facing his two present teammates. Both shook their heads. "It's gotta be somewhere, though."

"That's why we're waiting for Cyborg," Raven explained. "Perhaps he can check the hardware of which we were given that contained Slade's message for any signs of a clue."

"And you have no idea on how to decode it?" Beast Boy asked, indicating Robin.

"Nope. I'm not even sure what there is to decode. I know I may have busied myself before, deciphering newspapers and evidences for any signs of Slade, but I've been taught better that it's an irrational method," Robin replied. "The hard way."

"Not that I don't know the consensus, but I'm guessing we're going after Terra," Raven said.

"Yeah. There's a villain and a potential victim somewhere. A hero is needed," Beast Boy said.

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the_

Cyborg was the first between the two absent Titans to meet the three in the Main Ops room. He was told of the message and was given the disk. He inspected it, searching for any thing out of an ordinary floppy disk.

"Bingo," Cyborg said, effectively capturing the three's attention. "There are some nanotechnologically induced strings of inscriptions on the disk. It's very hard to make out, though. I'm not even sure if they make out any words."

"What _do _you see?" Beast Boy asked.

"Relax, man, I'm trying my best!" Cyborg snapped a bit before properly answering to the question, "The letter S, then a string of things, then I, then a string of things, then X, then a third string of things."

"How did you make out S, I and X?" Raven asked.

"They pop out. Somehow. And that spells 'six'. Does that have any significance to Slade or Terra or us?"

"Not that I can think of that's sufficiently significant," Beast Boy shrugged.

"As a person of conspiracies, I can, but I have to agree with Beast Boy on this one," Robin added, to their disappointment. "A single digit number is too abstract for a hint. There's got to be more! Maybe it's an abbreviation."

"Hello, friends! I regretfully apologize for my tardiness!" Starfire bashed into the room and apologized frantically, before halting and peacefully setting Silkie on the couch where he lay comfortably and fell asleep. Her tone and expression clearly read concern and seriousness.

"You're not that late, Star," Robin assured her. "We're just having trouble finding Slade's first clue." They then told her about what Cyborg had discovered.

"May I watch the video? Perhaps there is something there," Starfire suggested.

"Good idea, Starfire," Cyborg agreed as he had not watched it either. The team decided to play the video again.

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life_

"She is not my apprentice anymore and, truthfully, I could've cared less..."

Beast Boy, Raven and Robin heard Slade's voice for another time while Starfire and Cyborg were watching the message for the first time, but all of them were paying attention for any clues.

"Have you guys got anything so far?" Beast Boy interrupted and was immediately shushed by Raven, giving Beast Boy the message that no one had found anything more interesting than the message itself.

"So, I have planted three clues throughout -"

"There!" Starfire yelled. The rest of the team raised their eyebrows at the alien. She had found something they hadn't.

"Listen carefully," she told them. Cyborg replayed the part before Starfire noted something.

Slade's voice repeated, "- three clues throughout -"

And sure enough, there were almost inaudible sound effects playing. Only Cyborg and Starfire could hear it, Robin could almost hear it, but Raven and Beast Boy were dumbfounded.

"Sounds like seagulls," Cyborg pointed out.

Robin rubbed his chin in thought, "Where could that point to?"

"Harbor 6!" Starfire shouted in excitement. "That would explain the 'six' on the disk and the sound of the gulls of the seas in the video!"

Robin seemed stunned, commenting, "I must say, Starfire, you're following the deductive likes of the people who taught me. Impressive," he wanted to add that he found it attractive, but thought that was too far.

"So are we going there or not?" Beast Boy asked rhetorically.

Robin nodded and in one swift motion, declared, "Titans, go!"

_Somewhere after midnight_  
_In my wildest fantasies_  
_Somewhere just beyond my reach_  
_There's someone reaching back for me_  
_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_  
_It's gonna take a superman to sweep me off my feet_

The team made their way to Harbor 6 just at the coast of Jump City, and where they could see their home. They split up and scoured the area for a second clue.

"Any ideas what we're looking for?" Raven asked as she hovered above boats.

"Nope," Cyborg said, his scan of any bombs turning up no results.

"My sensitive nose is picking up something that reeks, though," a disgusted Beast Boy remarked.

"Track it down," Robin suggested in a commanding tone, and Beast Boy obliged. He turned into a green retriever and sniffed away.

The rest of the team had their eyes on the green dog as Beast Boy's nose led him to the edge of the waterfront.

Beast Boy resumed human form and notified the team of his discovery.

"It's underwater. I think I recognize the smell as algae or some not-so-tasty seaweed," Beast Boy said.

"Is that our next clue?" Starfire wondered out loud.

Robin shook his head, "It can't be. It's too ambiguous. Beast Boy, maybe try diving in and seeing if there's more to it than just a sea plant with powerful odor."

Beast Boy followed the order. He jumped towards the water, and transformed into a bottlenose dolphin before streamlining into the blue-green seawater.

Beast Boy as a dolphin dived down until he saw a bed of kelp. But he felt something odd about it. It seemed to be meshed together in some form, and seemed to be having controlled movements that opposed the water currents.

It was then he realized that there was more to the so called bed of kelp than just kelp. He saw it form into a monstrous figure, and spotted an eye before he got smacked by its weedy arm.

Dolphin Beast Boy recovered from the impact and swam up to warn the Titans, but the kelp sea monster was chasing after him. Fortunately, Beast Boy reached the dry surface first and resumed human form albeit panting heavily.

"What's wrong?" Cyborg asked at the sight of the tired Beast Boy.

"We got a big dude to fight coming up!" he warned.

Robin took it as a signal to prepare for battle, "Stay strong, guys. We're in for a fight."

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_

The rest of the team followed suit in Robin's battle stance with their positions. In less than a minute, the kelp sea monster surfaced and landed in front of the heroes with a gurgling roar.

"Do we have a name for this Plasmus 2.0?" Raven asked sarcastically.

"I have one; Putrid, cause he stinks," Beast Boy suggested.

Robin, implying that he had no problem with the name, added, "And he's going down! Titans, fight!"

Newly named Putrid, regardless if it understood Robin, seemed to take the command as a signal to make the first swipe. It flung its arm at his first target - Starfire - by tangling the princess in vines of seaweed.

Taken by surprised, Starfire screamed while Robin instantly jumped to try and rescue her.

"Ahhh!"

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life_

Robin aimed and threw a bird-a-rang to cut off the vines, and Starfire blasted the part she had been wrapped in, freeing herself.

Beast Boy went on and charged at Putrid, bashing the monster with his dinosaur head, causing Putrid to make a low loud bellow as it tumbled down and collided with an empty cargo ship.

Robin jumped and glided, leveling himself with Starfire.

"Are you fine?" he quickly asked.

"Yes, Robin, thank you for your saving," Starfire thanked, and they quickly shared a small but somehow motivating smile before returning to the fight.

Beast Boy, as a pteranodon, seemed to be annoying Putrid as he used his talons to pull its tangling head to try to take it down one more time. Unfortunately for him, it did not work as well, and Putrid managed to smack Beast Boy out of the way with one of its kelp vines.

Raven then magically appeared in front of it.

"You like to rumble, I see," she said, before revealing Cyborg underneath her cloak, who blasted Putrid with his updated sonic cannon. The shot connected, and the giant villain fell down once again, this time falling to unconsciousness.

"Booyah!"

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_

Raven then used her telekinesis to break off large scraps of metal from a ship, bent them, and placed them on Putrid as if it were being stapled.

"We need a way to hold it off until we can figure out what kind of clue it's holding!" Raven suggested out loud.

"Gotcha!" Starfire assured, blasting starbolts at the four giant staples, hardening and tightening them so that Putrid could only struggle to get out of them if it were to wake.

"Great thinking, Starfire," Robin complimented, while his thoughts wanted to say more.

"What now?" Cyborg asked. "Do we - uh - dissect it?"

"I would rather hope not," an icked Starfire said, "it's slimy enough, please."

Then, before anyone could think of and bring up another suggestion, the strings of seaweed gradually shortened and shrunk until only a body of a man remained.

Beast Boy scratched his head in utter confusion.

"Is he our next clue?"

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above_  
_Out where the lightning splits the sea_  
_I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me_

"Should we take him to our tower's infirmary?" Cyborg asked.

Raven had pulled up her hood and turned around while Starfire covered her eyes, blushing.

"Why is he not in menswear?" Starfire asked.

Then, something underneath the unconscious naked man began to float, carrying him along. There was a large circular metal plate that the Titans had not realized until that moment.

It hovered high enough for the five superheroes to see that there was a screen at the bottom of the disk, showing a video of Slade.

"Slade," Robin growled.

"I see you have figured out your first clue and have defeated one of the new friends of mine," Slade began, as calmly cruel as he had always been. "I don't doubt that you want the next clue right away so I will waste no time. Here it is; Sorcerer's Stone. It's more related to you than you think."

Then, before anyone could do anything, the metal disk sped up and away from the Teen Titans, until it couldn't be seen.

"Sorcerer's Stone?" Robin repeated. "Nicholas Flamel?"

"Unless there's an alchemy laboratory nearby," Cyborg disagreed. "Anyway, none of us are related to alchemists, so I highly doubt it. Any other ideas?"

Robin had his fingers under his chin. "I'm not sure. The person who's most related to Sorcerer's Stone is our very own sorceress Raven."

"Mhm," Raven nodded in agreement. "So we start looking at all the places that concern me?"

"Those are good places to be searching at," Robin said. "I say we split up and contact if there's anything out of the ordinary."

The four subordinates nodded in agreement. They were to split up so that they could search at five places at once.

Robin shouted, before they parted ways, "Titans, split!"

_Through the wind and the chill and the rain  
__And the storm and the flood  
__I can feel his approach like a fire in my blood_

The team searched in numerous places around Jump City; the ancient library where Raven took part in her father's ritual as the portal, the factory where she was sent her 'birthday present', the new library, the cafes, and her other favorite hangout or work spots. The search went on for hours, with no luck.

"Robin, do you think we ought to call it a day?" Beast Boy suggested via communicator.

"Yes, Robin, I agree. I am feeling most exhausted," Starfire added.

Robin had to agree with his teammates. It seemed like they were getting nowhere. "I'll meet you all back in the tower."

In a few minutes, the group reunited in the Main Ops room, sharing with one another the places they had checked and justifying how none of them had anything fishy worth noting.

It was nearing midnight, and Beast Boy was lazily making his way to his room after a warm shower.

"Beast Boy," he heard Raven's voice.

"Oh, what's up, Raven?" he asked. He noticed that Raven was not putting on her usual dull face. That meant she was feeling something different, and it was obvious to Beast Boy that it was not in a good way.

"I just want to say that I'm sorry our date yesterday didn't go as planned," she said. "We were just starting our relationship and already there's trouble as personal as Terra."

Beast Boy gave a small laugh, and replied, "It's totally fine, Raven."

"No, it's totally not fine. I'm not disappointed at our cancelled date, but more of the fact that our relationship can't develop smoothly because of this."

Beast Boy held Raven's hand, and gripped them firmly and protectively.

"Hey, don't overthink it! It's gonna be alright! Our relationship is gonna be alright!"

"But now we have to focus on Terra again," Raven said. Beast Boy took note that it was in a kind of whiny tone, and he didn't like the sound of that. It just made him feel so sad for her.

"I know, that sucks," he said in a comforting tone. "But we're going to go through it together, as we will always be from this point onward."

He pecked Raven's cheek before releasing his grip on her hands.

"I mostly want to find out how on Earth did Terra resurrect herself from stone," Beast Boy said, keeping eye contact intact.

"Right," Raven then had a thought, letting them out through her mouth.

"She resurrected from stone. Terra can control stone. I'm a sorceress. Sorcerer's Stone," Raven articulated, making mental connections. "Sorcerer's Stone. Slade may be referring to me and Terra!"

Both people were wide-eyed at the epiphany. That left two key locations to the whereabouts of the second clue.

"It's either in that underground place where you and Terra built your trust for each other for the first time," Beast Boy concluded, "or in that place where you and Terra fought when she was Slade's apprentice! Raven, by George, Raven, I think that's it!"

Beast Boy pulled Raven into a tight hug that Raven didn't mind at all. In fact, she enjoyed their cute moment together. Perhaps they were going to go through all this together after all.

"Alright, let's tell them!"

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_

"Wonderful idea, friends Raven and Beast Boy!" Starfire squealed in excitement despite the time at that moment.

"Who knew Beast Boy had a brain?" Cyborg said sarcastically.

"Wow, I must be losing my skills," Robin said jokingly before quickly returning seriousness. "So we have to split up into two. Beast Boy, Raven, check the mechanical facility."

"Gotcha!" Beast Boy said and soon, the two groups were off and out again.

Minutes later, Beast Boy and Raven arrived at their destination.

"Maybe this time we'll meet Overload 2.0," Raven noted sarcastically, but not excluding the possibility of it.

Then, as if on cue, wires started to bind themselves together until another monster is formed.

Raven dully glanced at Beast Boy and said, "You got the water for Sparky here?"

I_ need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure and it's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life_

"Raven! Beast Boy! Did you find anything useful?"

Robin had called the couple half an hour since they encountered Sparky while the other found nothing.

"We're fine," Raven answered, "We'll meet you at the tower. We got some evidence here."

"So you guys have been fighting some bad guy?" Cyborg asked in a sub-screen on the communicators.

"We've been fighting Sparky here," Raven answered. "No harm done. Actually, no harm at all."

"It would be fruitful to rendez-vous with you two and see what you have discovered!" Starfire chirped excitedly.

Beast Boy's face was the last to appear in the communicator screen.

"It's time."

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong and he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_  
_I need a hero_


	7. Sweet Dreams

"What have you found?" Robin asked immediately after he rushed past the door leading into Titans Tower, where Raven and Beast Boy had been patiently waiting on the couch. Starfire then flew in with Cyborg tagging along a few seconds later.

"What took you so long, dudes?" Beast Boy asked his three team members. He had been flicking through channels on the team TV while Raven busied herself examining the object the dynamic duo had won from defeating Sparky the monster made of cable wires. She had been looking up scrolls and books that she had in her own little 'library' that she had summoned from her bedroom for any information about the object she was holding.

"It's a long way," Cyborg defended, resting beside Beast Boy. "So what did you get from the electric tower? Another disk? A microchip? A _nano_chip?"

"It's not technology at face value, actually," Raven told her cybernetic friend. "Or at least I think it's not. But it may be something related to magic, which I have not spotted anything out of the ordinary from this peculiar artifact."

Raven held out her hand to Cyborg, the object in question hanging around her wrist.

"I know that piece of enchanted instrument!" Starfire squealed excitedly. She snatched it from Raven and examined it intently, marveling in its entirety, fascinated by its structure, curious of its contents.

Everyone in the room knew what it was. The wooden hoop, the spiderweb-shaped net hung tightly around it, the dangling feathers and beads, and the Native American aura it exuded.

"It's a dreamcatcher!" Starfire declared. "I've read about it when I was in the library with Raven before! It's one fascinating object, I see now!"

While Starfire was wide-eyed over the dreamcatcher, Cyborg scanned it in every angle for any technological signs.

"Nothing!" Cyborg announced.

"I do sense some form of magic from it," Raven told the team. "It's just I can't pinpoint the source, or where or who it may have derived from."

The team spent a few more minutes inspecting the dreamcatcher and deliberating over what to do with it.

"So we're left with nothing else?" Robin asked the obvious.

No one was impressed at the lack of clues, and they had yet figured out any relationship the dreamcatcher had with Slade or Terra.

Beast Boy let out a yawn, and that somehow made everyone tired.

"Robin, I know we don't leave missions on hold, but we're tired," Cyborg said. "I know how it feels like when I don't have my break."

"Don't ask me, ask Beast Boy," the leader said.

Everyone turned to Beast Boy, whose eyes looked like they were about to close.

"Call it a day," he said.

"Alright, y'all, I'm out!" Cyborg declared and he was the first one out of the Main Ops room.

"Shall we, Star?" Robin allowed his arm for Starfire to hold. Starfire, without a doubt, agreed and they headed to their rooms.

Raven observed the sight and rolled her eyes at the romantic cheesiness it all was.

Then, a green arm clothed in black appeared in front of her.

"Beast Boy..."

"I'm feeling drowsy, but I can muster enough energy to bring a fine lady to her room," Beast Boy said tiredly with his signature grin.

Raven sighed. They were alone in the tower, it was quiet, it was night, it was comfortable.

She smiled fondly at her boyfriend, in which Beast Boy returned. She then planted a surprising kiss on Beast Boy's lips, causing the latter to slightly wake up a bit and momentarily open his eyes widely.

"What was that for?" he asked, almost in a daze.

"Even though it was only yesterday, we haven't really properly finished our date."

Beast Boy wrapped his arms around Raven and pulled her closer.

"So what do you want to do now?"

Raven smirked at Beast Boy's intimacy, "Hey, I thought you were tired?"

"Never tired of you," Beast Boy winked at Raven, in which Raven reacted with a not-so-serious smack.

Beast Boy then yawned, "Nah, I guess I _am_ tired."

Raven smirked again. "You're _exhausted._"

And with one final agreement for the day, the couple decided it was time to return to their own rooms and take a much needed sleep.

They stopped in front of Beast Boy's room, Raven holding the dreamcatcher for she would be keeping it secured in her room for the night.

"Sweet dreams, Raven my sunshine," Beast Boy said happily, kissing Raven on her cheek. "Dream a little dream of me."

Raven, for the third time in under half an hour, smirked, "Not that it hadn't happened."

Beast Boy closed the door, leaving Raven to return to her room to earn her share of rest. She peacefully hovered to her room, just across two corners in the hallway, and entered her sanctuary.

It had been a long day, but she knew the mission was far from over.

Her bedroom had remained unchanged, something she'd been grateful for its never-changing homeliness.

She quickly locked the dreamcatcher away in one of her empty chests and rushed to her bed, more than ready to sleep. She didn't even feel the need to meditate, she already felt at peace when she kissed Beast Boy.

Apparently, that was her mistake.

She couldn't see it, but the magical item temporarily locked up in her chest began to glow as it worked its magic finally.

_**Turn the lights on**_

_**Every night I rush to my bed  
With hopes that maybe I'll get a chance to see you  
When I close my eyes I'm going out of my head  
Lost in a fairy tale, can you hold my hands and be my guide?**_

Raven's vision became hazy, and not long after she dozed into a trance of sleep.

It took awhile for her to completely fall to her subconscious and hence to a dream, but she reached there nonetheless.

_Rachel Roth hurried into the cafe before anymore of the torrential downpour could drench her with rainwater. She would much rather smell coffee than take a natural shower and feel the sogginess from her very wet wool sweater and scarf._

_"I have _got _to consider changing into leather," she told herself and made a mental reminder. "And bring an umbrella no matter how much inconvenience it brings to my wrists."_

_At least, now she was under shelter, and at peace, with the typical coffee shop songs that were her forms of lullabies._

_**Clouds filled with stars cover your skies  
And I hope it rains, you're the perfect lullaby  
What kind of dream is this?  
You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
Either way I don't wanna wake up from**** you**_

Meanwhile, Robin and Starfire had not slept yet. They had not even gone into any of their rooms. They stopped midway to Starfire's room in the corridor. Robin had decided to take that moment to appreciate Starfire's efforts in everything she put to the team and for the team.

"Your performance today, outstanding," he told her as she listened attentively with a blush. "You blew me away, Star, it's incredible. No, wait, scratch that, _you're_ incredible."

Starfire flushed and giggled, and so proceeded to jokingly punch Robin on the stomach, causing him to bend backwards and having to regain his balance.

"Robin, I insist, it is my duty!" she said in the middle of a mini giggle fit.

"Eh, still," Robin winced without showing. "I-I just think I've been taking you for granted."

Starfire looked around. They were alone in the corridor, and all there were around them were the ceiling, the floor, the walls, and two overhead lamps at the ends or turning corners of the long, dimly lit hallway.

"Shouldn't we be in someplace more... bright?" Starfire suggested. "Or perhaps go to sleep altogether? I have not tended to Silkie for awhile and I ought to. I don't want Silkie to feel lonely for too long."

"I know, I know. But..." Robin extended his arm to Starfire, another gentlemanly gesture. "Would you like to go for a light midnight stroll outside first? It's dark and quiet, so we can have some special quality time."

Starfire smiled, and took his hand willingly. "It would be delightful to spend the time of quality with you, Robin."

The way Starfire said Robin's name with some sort of affection made the leader's heart skip a beat.

Starfire continued, "But why not fly instead?"

She then flew, holding Robin's hand and taking him with her, past the corridors, back in the common room, and out the tower to the city.

_**Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
**__**Somebody pinch me, your love's too good to be true  
**__**My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere  
**__**Baby 'long as you're here, I'll be floating on air  
**__**'Cause you're my  
**__**You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
**_**Either way I don't wanna wake up from you**

Starfire flew up to the clouds and hovered above the city, where the skyscrapers dominated with lights through their windows and the places below keep up with neon lights and streetlamps.

"I realize nighttime is when the bright glowing spheres or tubes shine like they are the stars of a show," Starfire pointed out to Robin, who she was still holding.

"Mhm," Robin murmured in agreement. He much appreciated Starfire's unique idea to take an air stroll during midnight, but it would make it harder for him to express what he truly felt and dearly wanted to confess.

Starfire had been occupying his thoughts for quite some time already, even before she was on a roll with Slade's clues. And with that brief eye contact he had with her earlier that day, he was certain she was reciprocating her feelings, or at least wanted to be.

And in her mind, Starfire truly did want to tell Robin she's had a crush on him. It's even been obvious to them, and to the team. But she thought that if the point was not put out there, then it was not true, not yet.

What was pulling her back was the Earthly ways of love. After years, she still had not fully grasped the concept on a planet so foreign to her despite calling it home. She couldn't tell if Robin was her type of boy long-term or short-.

_**I mention you when I say my prayers  
I wrap you around all of my thoughts  
Boy you're my temporary**** high**_

_Somehow, Rachel found herself leaning against the cafe counter, even though the shop seemed empty except for a handful of people reading their literary items or silently sipping their drinks._

_"May I be quipped a warm cup of Earl Grey Tea?" she looked back and ordered._

_Without a direct response after a few seconds, Rachel turned around to see if anyone was even behind the counter._

_Directly in front of her, opposite the counter, she was facing a man her age with blue eyes that glimmered like a tropical island ocean. He was blond, and he had a huge grin across his peach face._

_"One cup of Earl Grey Tea already prepared just for you," the teenage guy told her._

_"Thank you, Mr. Logan," she said as she cautiously picked up the hot porcelain cup and blew at the tea's surface to cool it down._

_"I told you, Rachel, it's Gar. Or your Superman. Both names work well for me."_

_"And I told _you_ it's Ms. Roth. And don't you know not to mess with a woman when she's miserably soaked?"_

_Gar chuckled and began fumbling with empty glasses to keep himself busy. "You seem to hang on fine, though. But I'm flattered you chose to seek salvation here. It was me, wasn't it? You rushed here just to see me and my ears? Chicks dig the ears!"_

_Rachel scanned the room, pretending to find a woman dreamily staring at Gar's lobes even though she knew no one was._

_"Unless you mean the chicks in the _farm_, then good for you," she said sarcastically. "And unless you own this coffee shop, then yes I did."_

_Rachel didn't know how long to keep up the act. The cafe had always been her favorite spot, but ever since Gar started working there she was coming in more often than how often a child would go to the park to play. She was drawn to his very existence, his downright presence. She just didn't know how to open up, but she kind of knew how to keep it on, as if testing the waters of their currently childlike acquainting relationship._

_Deep down in her most determined desires, she wanted Gar in all his entirety._

**_I wish that when I wake up you're there  
To wrap your arms around me for real  
And tell me you'll stay by my_ _side_**

Starfire and Robin had been in the air for almost an hour. Even though it was really late at night, it was the most tranquility they've felt and the calming nature of Jump City at night gave them inner energy to keep going.

"I love this place," Starfire whispered peacefully. "Look at the stars."

Robin looked up at Starfire's face, the most beautiful sight for his masked eyes. He remained silent, letting Starfire continue.

"When I explored Earth the first time, it was the night I crash landed here. I saw the shiny spots on the sky and wondered what they were. I thought they looked like the planets I could observe from Tamaran, only much smaller and shinier. They definitely are more beautiful when viewed from a more beautiful location. It's like a daydream with a night setting."

Robin laughed and said, "Well, on behalf of Jump City, thank you for the compliment!"

Starfire giggled and romantic silence once again took over. They were far high enough for the nightly sounds of the city to be insignificant, but the whoosh of the wind blowing against them with autumn leaves rustling in midair dominated the post-midnight sky.

"Let's stop and return down," Robin suggested, and Starfire agreed. "To some place private, please."

_**Clouds filled with stars cover the skies  
And I hope it rains, you're the perfect lullaby  
What kind of dream is this?  
You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
Either way I don't wanna wake up from**** you**_

Starfire and Robin arrived at the shore.

"Well, we're here. It's quiet and private," Starfire said cheerily. Robin nodded and then abruptly held Starfire's hands up to between their chests.

A surprised Starfire almost squeaked. She felt shivers running up her spine. But she kind of liked where it was going.

"I like you, Star," Robin began.

"You mean -"

"Yes, Star. I know I never really stated it explicitly. But after what happened today... well, technically, yesterday... I enjoy spending my time with you."

Starfire blushed. "I like you too, Robin."

Silence.

Robin and Starfire slowly leaned towards each other.

"We aren't going too fast?" Starfire asked softly and vulnerably.

"We've been under the same roof for years, Star."

"But a kiss?"

Robin could tell from the unsure tone in Starfire's voice that she was slightly uncomfortable, so he stopped before their lips could meet.

"Okay, I understand where you're coming from, Star," he said, leaning back, Starfire following suit. "Let's take it _much _slower, I'm truly fine with that."

Starfire smiled at her understanding leader. "Thanks.

"Should we get back to slumber? It's awfully late. I'd also want my nap of beauty."

Robin agreed with Starfire and he led her to her room before he would go back to his.

They stopped in front of Starfire's door to bid their temporary farewells.

"Goodnight, Star," he said.

"You too, Robin," she said, and she entered her room and closed her door. Robin could not see it, but she sprang to her bed in joy and happily slept, hoping to dream of her and Robin.

_**Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
**__**Somebody pinch me, your love's too good to be true  
**__**My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere  
**__**Baby 'long as you're here, I'll be floating on air  
**__**'Cause you're my  
**__**You can be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
****Either way I don't wanna wake up from**** you**_

_Rachel Roth somehow found herself making out with Garfield Logan, with the counter separating them._

_"You - are - so - _hot_," Rachel said breathlessly whenever her lips were not occupied with kissing Gar's._

_Gar chuckled as he continued planting kisses on Rachel's lips._

_"You too," he panted. "We ought to be doing this alone, though, and not in front of these customers. Come over here."_

_Rachel cut the kiss and looked up at him._

_"What do you mean 'come over here'?"_

_Gar smirked at Rachel's perverted thoughts._

_"Not the way you think, mademoiselle."_

_Rachel smiled at Gar's dreaminess and she agreed. She crossed over to the other side of the counter and they made their way inside the 'Staff Only' room._

_"Don't ever let me go," Rachel said as Gar closed the door and they continued making out._

Raven shifted arbitrarily in her sleep for a comfort spot and she was tightly hugging her pillow like a young girl.

Aural mist was emitting from the net of the dreamcatcher and the vapor escaped from the chest to the atmosphere of Raven's room.

_**Tattoo your name across my heart  
**__**So it will remain  
**__**Not even death can make us**_** part****  
**_**What kind of dream is**** this?**_

_"Do you love me?" Gar asked Rachel._

_The two had stopped kissing and were faced close to each other, wrapping their arms around each other's waists._

_"What kind of question is that?" Rachel asked offhandedly. "Of course I do. More than life itself."_

_Rachel let go of Gar and wiped the sweat off Gar's forehead._

_"Nice choice of venue for a make-out session," Rachel added sarcastically, looking around. They were in a really narrow office, which was dominated with chestnut colored file cabinets and a desk supporting a flat widescreen computer._

_**You could be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
**__**Either way I don't wanna wake up from you  
**__**Sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare  
**__**Somebody pinch me, your love's too good to be**** true**_

_"You are... purrr-dy," Gar said seductively, ignoring Rachel's casual comment._

_Rachel looked at Gar again and asked, "What happens now?"_

_"Well," Gar rubbed his chin before giving Rachel a thoughtful answer, "You can move into my apartment, we can start an official relationship, make decisions together, you know, this and that."_

_Rachel gave the reply a thorough mental evaluation._

_**My guilty pleasure, I ain't going nowhere  
Baby 'long as you're here, I'll be floating on air  
'Cause you're my  
Either way I don't wanna wake up from**** you**_

_"I agree," Rachel answered, to Gar's delight._

_"Splendid!" Gar jumped up in excitement._

_"When do we begin our end?"_

_Gar sent Rachel a playful facial expression._

_"How about..."_

_**Either way I don't wanna wake up from**** you**_

_It was followed by a really sudden and surprising change in expression._

_"... never?"_

**(Author's Note: The song is Sweet Dreams by Beyonce! I hope this is a satisfying enough chapter! What's going to happen in Raven's dream? What does that Dreamcatcher hold? What of RobStar? Stay tuned!)**


	8. I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing Daylight

_"Never? What do you mean?"_

_Rachel watched Gar as he gave a sudden, very haunting howl, and hair started growing long in every part of his body. They were more like fur._

_"Gar?! What's wrong?!" Rachel was terrified at what Gar was becoming._

_Gar howled once more. He looked more like a werewolf now._

_He then pounced and tried to claw Rachel, but she backed up in time._

_"You beast!" she screamed and ran out the door as fast as she could, the werewolf chasing after her._

_Rachel screamed fearfully for help, but in where a handful people were sitting in the cafe, no one was there when she exited the little office._

_Rachel tried to buy her time by splashing hot coffee at the charging animal, but it didn't seem to affect him one bit. She rushed back out to the chilly rain, screaming and running for her life._

"Raven! Raven, wake up!"

Beast Boy was shaking Raven. Her eyes were closed, but her facial expression and loud crying was as if she had seen Trigon reincarnated. His enhanced hearing from his animal counterparts had enabled him to hear the screaming from a few rooms away and he immediately rushed to her aid, only to find her still lying in bed.

In a matter of minutes, the rest of the team had arrived at Raven's room too.

"Why is she screaming so loudly?" Starfire asked worriedly.

"I don't know!" Beast Boy responded. "If this is a nightmare, it's a really bad one!"

"Nightmare?" Robin repeated, things clicking in his head. "Where's the Dreamcatcher? Raven had it, right?"

The team realized what was happening. The Dreamcatcher somehow was related to Raven's situation at that moment. The four superheroes awake frantically searched Raven's room for it. They noticed some sort of haze emitting out of a chest under Raven's bed.

"We need to open it!" Cyborg said. "But what if it will unleash something worse? Who knows what Raven has in there?"

"It doesn't matter, Cy!" Beast Boy, working on opening the box. "We have to save her!"

_"Gar, please, don't!" Rachel screamed. She had been cornered after running for miles. She was panting heavily, but she still had the strong urge to escape from the prowling werewolf in front of her, coming to consume her. "I know you don't want to do this! Please, Gar! I know you're in there!"_

_The werewolf growled, creeping closer and closer to the scared Rachel._

_"I love you..."_

"I LOVE YOU!"

Raven gasped as Beast Boy broke open the chest and snapped the Dreamcatcher into pieces.

"Raven!" Starfire flew to Raven's aid, comforting her whatever caused the Empath to burst into tears.

As the Dreamcatcher broke, larger amount of mist emitted from it, and Beast Boy could make out a silhouette of a woman.

"Phobia?" Raven called, shocked to see the mage hovering in front of the Teen Titans.

"You didn't think you'd completely forget the wicked witch of Azarath, did you?" Phobia sneered.

"You can't be here! Go back to where you belong!" Raven shouted angrily. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos!"

Phobia immediately countered with a spell of her own using her staff. Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg and Starfire watched hopefully as both Raven and Phobia were in the air, fighting over dominance over the other's incantation. Raven's blue cloak and Phobia's night blue-black robe were being violent blown at the spells' compound impact.

"You're going for Earth's artifacts now, but I'll put you back to where you rightfully belong before you can do any more harm!" Raven yelled.

Phobia had not anticipated Raven to be as strong as she was at that moment. She struggled to keep up with Raven's power, but ultimately lost.

"I am merely a messenger, _innocent_ Raven," Phobia said through gritted teeth. "For Mr. Wilson."

"What?" Raven gasped. "Who is Wilson?"

"Or that Markov girl, whatever! That masked man and blonde girl!"

"You mean Slade and Terra!"

"Whatever! Only one of the five of you can travel to Markovia and do what you plan to do, to see Terra."

"Why?"

"It's a deal. I'm just here to repeat the message to you! If anyone else goes, Slade _swears_ to deal with it the worst way possible, so if I were you, I'd rather not risk it. Remember; only one. Leave the tower, leave everything behind, tomorrow morning!"

Phobia was fading away, but Raven was not going to let her escape. She yelled one more chant and cast another spell at Phobia, but she had already completely vanished.

An exhausted Raven dropped herself to the ground.

"Raven, it's okay," Beast Boy helped her up. "Everything is alright."

"Thanks, Beast Boy," Raven said, shaken. She still remembered the nightmare she had.

"So I guess _that's_ our final clue," Cyborg deduced.

"Yeah," Raven was about to say something else, but Starfire pulled her back down to lie on her bed.

"Please, Raven, you require a rest you much deprived in this state," Starfire told her friend. Raven really wanted to get to the bottom the Terra case, but she had to agree with Starfire that she was well spent.

"One of us has to leave in just a few hours," Robin noted. "We have to make this decision thorough but quick."

"I'll go," Beast Boy instantly volunteered, and there seemed to be no disputes.

"It's yours, Beast Boy," Robin said. "Raven, you rest. Guys, let's help Beast Boy pack up-"

"Wait!"

Beast Boy and Raven had shouted simultaneously.

"I want to spend my last night with Raven," Beast Boy said. "Who knows how long this trip to Markovia will take?"

Robin understood Beast Boy's desires. If he were to leave Starfire for an unknown amount of time, he would definitely try to cherish the last few moments they would have before their separation.

Robin shook the thoughts away and asked Raven, "Is that what you wanted to, Raven?"

Raven gave a subtle nod. She was not the type that wants to cuddle with something much less someone at night, but this was Beast Boy. And he was to leave very soon, in under a few hours.

"Okay, I completely understand. Cyborg, Star and I will help you pack up, Beast Boy. You'll be ready at the Main Ops room," Robin acknowledged before closing the door, leaving Beast Boy and Raven alone.

"I had a nightmare of you, Beast Boy," Raven said almost apologetically.

"Forget about, Rae," Beast Boy interjected, not wanting to hear any of the bad. "I want us to spend these last few hours together, because when daylight comes, I'm gone."

Beast Boy kissed Raven's hand and laid down on her bed, behind her so he could hug her as they slept peacefully.

"As long as my soul is intertwined with yours, I will never leave you," Beast Boy whispered softly in Raven's ears before he joined her in their romantic slumber. He never wanted the moment to go away, it was the most precious moment ever.

_**I could stay awake just to hear you breathing**_  
_**Watch you smile while you are sleeping**_  
_**While you're far away and dreaming**_

_**I could spend my life in this sweet surrender**_  
_**I could stay lost in this moment forever**_  
_**Well, every moment spent with you**_  
_**Is a moment I treasure**_

_**I don't wanna close my eyes**_  
_**I don't wanna fall asleep**_  
_**'Cause I'd miss you, baby**_  
_**And I don't wanna miss a thing**_

_**'Cause even when I dream of you**_  
_**The sweetest dream would never do**_  
_**I'd still miss you, baby**_  
_**And I don't wanna miss a**** thing**_

With the powers of Phobia not interfering with Raven's dreams anymore, she was feeling calmer. Her dreams became more natural, normal dreams. Tonight, she had another dream of her and Beast Boy. They were having the time of their lives, just loving each other.

She would realize when she wakes up by tomorrow that they wouldn't be able to have such times for awhile. Until she would emotionally hurt then, she was feeling the moment now.

_**Here I am staring at your perfection**_  
_**In my arms, so beautiful**_  
_**The sky is getting bright, the stars are burning out**_  
_**Somebody slow it down**_

_**This is way too hard, 'cause I know**_  
_**When the sun comes up, I will leave**_  
_**This is my last glance that will soon be memory**_

_**And when the daylight comes I'll have to go**_  
_**But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close**_  
_**'Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own**_  
_**But tonight I need to hold you so**** close**_

_"I will never leave you, Raven," Beast Boy as he knelt down, about to propose to his girlfriend._

_"That's so sweet of you, Garfield," Raven said, letting out a small smile._

_"Will you do the honors of accepting to be my wife?"_

Beast Boy subconsciously hugged Raven tighter at the sweet dream he was having. Their love was that strong. It was worth more than anything in the world, even more than the mission he was to leave for. But neither him nor her were willing to be unrealistic when Slade and Terra were concerned.

It was only tonight they could live a fantasy.

_**I don't wanna miss one smile**_  
_**I don't wanna miss one kiss**_  
_**Well, I just wanna be with you**_  
_**Right here with you, just like this**_

_**I never wanted to stop**_  
_**Because I don't wanna start all over, start all over,**_  
_**I was afraid of the dark but now it's all that I want,**_  
_**All that I want, all that I**** want**_

_"Hey, Gar..."_

_"What's up, Rae?"_

_Raven could not help but look at his cute toothy grin._

_"It's your turn to take care of the kids today while I go on the mission."_

_The Changeling chuckled at the Empath. "Of course, you think I'd forget?"_

_Raven let out a light snort and retorted, "It's just more pleasurable reminding you to..."_

Raven gripped more tightly at the hand of Beast Boy she had been holding, as if she were holding on for dear life, but in a subtle, sincere, passionate manner.

_"...I don't want to miss a thing."_

_**Don't wanna close my eyes**_  
_**Don't wanna fall asleep**_  
_**'Cause I'd miss you, baby**_  
_**And I don't wanna miss a thing**_

_**And when the daylight comes I'll have to go**_  
_**But tonight I'm gonna hold you so close**_  
_**'Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own**_  
_**But tonight I need to hold you so**** close**_

They were so close that even if they were in their dreaming state, they could feel it. They delayed their worries because they did not want to miss the moment before daylight for the world. The moment was theirs to seize.

_**'Cause even when I dream of you**_  
_**The sweetest dream would never do**_  
_**'Cause in the daylight we'll be on our own**_  
_**But tonight I need to hold you so**** close**_

At 7AM, Beast Boy woke up, making sure he did. And he left for the mission after giving a still tired and soundly sleeping Raven a goodbye kiss.

"You're my one," he whispered to her before leaving her room.

_**Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah**_  
_**Don't wanna close my eyes**_  
_**Oh-woah, oh-woah, oh-woah**_  
_**Don't wanna fall asleep, yeah**_

_**Oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah (yeah), oh-woah (yeah)**_  
_**I don't wanna miss a thing**_

**(Author's Note: I'm sorry for the long LONG wait! I hope I make up to y'all with this! =) This one is special - it's a mash-up with the awesome Aerosmith's I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing and the equally extraordinary Maroon 5! Please read, review, remember, re-anything that would make me more than happy to write this! I already love writing this! =D )**


	9. I Was Here

"I was here."

Terra had repeated the phrase for the fifth time. At first, she spoke in a questioning tone, as if it made no sense. But the more she said the three words, the more it formed a mental puzzle piece.

She and Slade had finally arrived at Markovia, her hometown, her birthplace. It had been so long, she almost forgot the name of the little country.

Markovia is a European nation right beside the small, but still bigger than Markovia itself, country of Liechtenstein. Because of its diminutive portion of land, it merely resembled a simple French village. The market square was packed with stalls, vendors and buyers where baskets of fruits and veggies, fresh chicken eggs, and multiple spices in jars were being sold. There was bargaining almost everywhere, mothers with their children, young male sellers flirting with the single women, and overall a small but functional society. Seeing it all made the super long trip worth it.

"I was here," she said, breathless in her sixth reiteration. And, with a sound step, she began exploring the little place she had at one point in time called home.

_I wanna leave my footprints on the sands of time  
__Know there was something that meant something that I left behind  
__When I leave this world, I'll leave no regrets  
__Leave something to remember, so they won't forget_

Terra took her steps, entering the marketplace. She was observing the stalls, so intently she didn't notice the little children playing and running, accidentally bumping into her. She looked down at the laughing girls, and saw herself as one of them. The image took her to her childhood memory, one she had for a long while stopped recalling.

_Tara outstretched her arms and pretended to be a plane, zooming in circles, cheerfully stepping on the autumn leaves as she ran, resulting in crispy sounds. Two other girls followed suit behind her. The three were laughing very happily. Their smiles and innocent laughter made the fall season appear jumpy and enjoyable._

_The blue-eyed blonde did a tumble and then skipped, her followers giggling joyously right behind. The three little girls then ran aimlessly but purposefully as the twilit sky, the source of physical brightness, accompanied the source of emotional brightness, their lighthearted faces._

_"Look! Look!" Tara suddenly screamed in excitement. The two other girls rushed to Tara and checked where her fingers pointed at. That lead them to see the ground, where a ladybug was crawling on leaves covered in lightly dried-up soil._

_"Fly!" shouted one of the girls happily. "I want to see it fly."_

_"Why does it have white circles?" the other asked out of plain curiosity. "Is it sick? Does it have chicken pox?"_

_"Iduno," Tara answered, looking much more closely at the insect. Wondering if something would happen, she cupped her hands together and scooped up a small portion of the soil the ladybug was on._

_"No, Tara, what are you doing?" one of her friends asked. "What if it hurt you?"_

_Tara did not reply. She gently rubbed the soil without hurting the ladybug so that most of the soil dropped. She felt like she was taken to a secluded spot of fascination, between her and the ladybug and the earthy soil she was feeling._

_That moment ended when the ladybug flew away, followed by extremely disappointed high-pitched "Aww"s from her two now-pouting friends._

"I'm sorry, miss," the girl apologized.

Terra chuckled and patted the girl on the head, "It's okay," and the girl ran off to continue playing. Terra walked on, as pieces of her childhood memory returned to her.

_I was here, I lived, I loved  
__I was here, I did, I've done  
__Everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would  
__I will leave my mark so everyone will know  
__I was here_

"Wow," she giggled, spotting a stall under the name _St. Pierre's Bread_. "That was there since I was just six."

_"Daddy, daddy!" Tara called to her father, tugging at his waistcoat._

_"D-Don't pull d-down my coat," her father responded in a shiver, smiling adoringly at his daughter, brown bushy mustache buried in flaky glitters of snow. "What is it, m'dear?"_

_"I want a cheesecake!" Tara squeaked, pointing at the market stall selling baked goods._

_Her father laughed, his dark blue eyes glistening in the winter, "Of course, Tara, let's go purchase one."_

_Tara cheered and hopped onto her father's back to be carried. "I want the one with pink jelly please!"_

_"Fine morning, Mayor Markov!" the baker greeted joyfully. "What may I offer you today?"_

_"I'll buy the strawberry cheesecake for dear Tara," Mr. Markov told the seller as he took off his wallet and placed the required money on the narrow counter. "Keep the change."_

_"Grateful decency, Mayor," the baker said with a cheerful smile as he took the money and gave the cheesecake to Tara, making her grin widely._

_"Pleasure's ours," the Mayor replied and he and his daughter continued their morning stroll._

_"This is my most favorite cake, daddy," Tara said with cake smudged on her mouth as she ate the delicacy. "It's so sweet and jelly and tasty! And that's my most favorite bakery EVER!"_

But the shopkeeper had changed. Before it was an old man, now a younger man, a little older than Terra herself, was running the stall. But the products on sale were the same as ever. Probably as yummy as ever. She'd love to try some after a long time, but she had no money and so she continued walking on the cobblestone street.

Terra reached the end of the stretch of stalls, and from there she could see a castle from quite a distance.

"Dad, Mom," she whispered to herself. "What if I can see them?"

_I wanna say I lived each until I died  
__And know that I did something in somebody's life  
__The hearts i have touched will be the proof that I leave  
__That I made a difference, and this world will see_

Terra had arrived at rows and rows of cottages. She immediately recalled the name of the place she was currently standing on.

"Tarbal Avenue," Terra received goosebumps at the mention of the name, even more at the sight of the houses. She did not have the best time at Tarbal Avenue. In fact, it was a haunting history. But she couldn't change the fact that she was there before, and that she was there now.

There was no mistake, Tarbal Avenue was where all the non-high-class villagers reside. She clearly remembered the standardized structures, the paved road in between, the chimneys in every three houses. She didn't live in any one of them, but she still had memorable times spent there.

_"Mommy, this is where Clare lives!" young Tara exclaimed to her mother, all dressed in utmost formality._

_The adult female bore a businesswoman's suit, her hair had been trimmed to a blonde bob and for a 30-something-year-old she had stress streaks on her face. But her bright blue eyes and sober posture indicated no signs of exhaustion._

_She looked down at her daughter and responded, "Clare lives in Tarbal Avenue? Not in Uptown Heights like your other classmates?"_

_Tara nodded enthusiastically, nearing the welcome sign. "She is the smartest in my class, and she is nice! May we visit her, please?"_

_Mrs. Markov chuckled, she knew what her answer would be._

_"I'm sorry, dear, I don't think we have time for that."_

_Even though it was only an hour after grade school and Tara didn't think it was late, the young girl obliged._

_Three days later, on a Saturday morning, Tara begged her elder brother that they visit Clare in Tarbal Avenue while their parents were out at work. Maximus was reluctant, but he loved nothing more than to make her little sister happy, and so he agreed._

_Tara and Maximus knocked on the door of the Clarence residence._

_"Fine morning, Mrs. Clarence," Maximus said kindly. "Tara here wants to play with Clare for the day, if that's okay with you."_

_"Of course, the pleasure's ours!" Mrs. Clarence said, and Tara rushed in once she spotted Clare. "Wow, Maximus Markov, you are as cute as ever."_

_Mrs. Clarence pinched and pulled Maximus's cheeks as she stared at the wonder before her._

_Maximus had the looks of a fictional Prince Charming; dashing blond hair, a handsome face, the ideal body, radiating the protectiveness of a knight, and has a kind soul. Maximus chuckled as he backed away from Mrs. Clarence to avoid anymore pain._

_"So, uh, I'll be back at around 4 p.m. to pick her up. Grateful decency for your time," Maximus said as they bade farewell. "Nice place, by the way."_

Not only good memories, unfortunately.

_One week later, Clare's father had gone missing._

_"Poor Jonathan Clarence," Mrs. Markov said pitifully as she flipped to the next page of the newspaper. "Wait, isn't he your classmate's father?"_

_Tara wept for her friend once she heard the news, but she wasn't shocked at his disappearance. It was terrible news, but no one was. It was urban legend came to life for people in Tarbal Avenue to never been seen ever again. It was a mystery that no one could solve._

_"What is happening there, mommy?" Tara said, pulling her mother closer to her. "Is there magic there? Or is someone doing this?"_

_"I don't know, honey," her mother comforted her, hugging back. "But grateful decency that hasn't been an incident here in Uptown Heights. We're safe here, darling, which is why I don't want you to go there ever again, you understand? Please, dear, I don't want this to happen to you."  
_

_Tara cried and hugged more tightly. "I promise, ma!"_

Terra was wondering if the incidents were still going on, she wouldn't be surprised, it had gone on since even before her birth. But now, at least she had her powers to protect her. Could the disappearances be the reason Slade told her to come back to Markovia; both homely and haunted?

_I was here, I lived, I loved  
__I was here, I did, I've done  
__Everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would  
__I will leave my mark so everyone will know_

As a stampede of childhood memories ambushed her, Terra started to be able to recall why she ran away in the first place. She reached the end of Tarbal Avenue, and was now at Serenity Pid Park. She shivered at the recollection. The irony of it was that Serenity Pid Park was the end of her peaceful childhood.

It was the last, and the worst, memory of her childhood. It was the time she began her runaway. And after seeing the park again, now deserted and rusted as if the whole nation had unanimously decided to let it be after the events that went down, she remembered it all too well.

_"Stay here, Tara," Maximus told her sister, sitting her on one of the pristine benches. "I have to talk to someone."_

_His sister obeyed and he ran into the trees. Tara had been playing in Serenity Pid Park under Maximus's supervision. It was night, around 8 p.m., and most families were at home, and they were alone in the park, but it was still fun playing under the lamps. She wasn't scared under the lone light alone at night, because she had done that several times already before, and Serenity Pid Park was safe from the Tarbal Avenue curse._

_But she did grow curious why her brother had to leave her and go off to someplace she didn't know. So, when she noticed minimal movement, she decided to see what was going on._

_"Elder brother?" she called quietly, walking towards the trees. She peered through gaps from leaves and saw her brother Maximus, with someone else. It was a woman from Tarbal Avenue. She kept quiet and intently eavesdropped on their conversation._

_"I'm sorry, Ms. Livingston, I really am," Tara could hear Maximus apologize, followed by sounds of ropes rubbing against each other._

_"You let me go, you sicko!" the woman yelled, kicking and screaming._

_"I don't want to do this, miss!" Maximus told her. "Please, I'm helping you!"_

_"Help me? What are you saying? You are a beast!"_

_And with a swift kick, she tumbled Maximus down and ran screaming for help._

_"HELP! HELP! Somebody, help! I know who the culprit is!" Ms. Livingston screamed as she ran for Tarbal Avenue. "It is Maximus! He's been kidnapping us!"_

_Tara gasped. She could not believe her ears. Her brother, the kidnapper? Tears were about to fall upon the revelation._

_The squeaky gasp did not go unnoticed by her brother. He saw her eyes from behind the trees, and was scared to death. He ran to her._

_"Tara, please, don't be afraid!"_

_Tara just looked at him with all the anger she had, but she didn't have any. She just shook her head in confusion, unsure of what to do._

_Maximus had no choice, he had to escape. "Run, Tara! Run! I'm sorry! RUN! Don't look back!"_

_And with adrenaline, she did as told. But she was so scared she wasn't thinking. She was just running. She was running away from Markovia. She didn't even think about her parents. Besides, she wouldn't be able to tell them the truth that her dearest brother had been the kidnapper all along, for she feared Maximus would make her disappear as well._

_And within seconds, she was gone. Out of there._

Terra sighed. The trees were gone. They had died, just like how her childhood had been crushed because of one revelation too tough to swallow. If she saw her brother again, she would definitely make him pay for his actions. For separating her from her family. For disrupting her childhood. For removing that sense of safety and having to run for dear life, for fear of being caught.

___I was here, I lived, I loved  
__I was here, I did, I've done  
__Everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would  
__I will leave my mark so everyone will know  
I was here_

Family. She had to see her parents again. She must. She walked away from Serenity Pid Park, towards the castle.

The Markov Castle was a local landmark, both because it is the residence of the Royal family of Markovia, and because of its beautifully built bastion bringing bliss before the people. The regal style and colorful coatings of teal and yellow was pleasant to the eyes of many a Markovian. To Terra, Markov Castle wasn't a landmark; it was home. _Was_ home.

But that thought didn't stop her from regaining pictures of her past that she had put aside for a few years already.

_The Markov household were having a normal nighttime. It was dark in the castle. Everyone was asleep. Almost everyone._

_"Mom, tell me a bedtime story," Tara requested drowsily._

_Mrs. Markov shook her head slowly, giving Tara a warm glass of milk. "Drink this instead, it will soothe your throat and comfort you to sleep."_

_Tara thanked her mother and gulped down the dairy contents._

_"This milk tastes different, mom," Tara pointed out._

_"They ran out of our usual, unfortunately," Mrs. Markov responded with a widening smile. "I am so excited for your twelfth birthday."_

_Tara stared sleepily at her mother in curiosity._

_"But my birthday is not until..." she counted her fingers to count the number of months. "Iduno."_

_Her mother giggled and then gently laid Tara's head down so that she could sleep. "Just go to sleep, dear."_

_"Mother," Maximus called from outside Tara's bedroom, looking closely at her mother._

_"Yes, dear, I'll be right there," she responded. "Sleep now, Tara."_

_"Can you take me to Serenity Pid Park this Sunday?" Tara said, almost drifting to slumber. "I want to go there. I never go yet."_

_"I'm sorry, dear, I and your dad will have work then," Mrs. Markov said. "Goodnight, sweetie."_

_"Goodnight, mommy."_

Terra took a deep breath as she arrived at the entrance of the castle grounds.

"I'm here now."

_I just want them to know  
__That I gave my all, did my best  
__Brought someone to happiness  
__Left this world a little better just because  
__I was here_

"I see you have re-explored the environment of which you have lived your childhood."

Terra spun back to see Slade walking towards her, mysteriously masked as ever. She had spent overnight with him, she could really make do with not seeing him for the rest of her life.

"I know," she responded. But Slade knew something about her, maybe something even she didn't know about. "Do you know if my parents are still...?"

"Yes, they are alive and well," Slade told her, standing solidly beside the geomancer. "They really want to reunite with you."

"Why do I have a feeling that's not the main reason you tried to convince me to go here?"

Slade didn't talk further, he walked onwards, Terra following him. The guards let them enter, as if they knew that was coming.

The two walked up the marble steps, officially into the castle building. Since Terra had grown taller, the place looked shorter, but it was still a humongous place of artistic elegance.

They then walked up concrete and regally carved wooden spiral staircases, walking and walking to where the Queen and the King sat. Or the Duchess and the Dutch. The Mistress and the Master. The First Lady and the Mayor. This part of the castle was unfamiliar to Terra, for she was to young to be allowed access to the High places.

_I was here, I lived, I loved  
__I was here, I did, I've done  
__Everything that I wanted and it was more than I thought it would be  
I will leave my mark so everyone will know  
I was here_

With each step on the castle high grounds, the beat of Terra's heart quickened, the anticipation increased, the excitement intensified. She was going to see her parents again, and she wondered what their reactions would be.

They were there. They finally arrived.

"Tara Markov, meet your parents," Slade said.

Terra stared at the two royal seats before her and saw the two people she loved the most. Tears of joy began streaming down her eyes.

"Mom. Dad."

_I was here._

**(Author's Note: I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I'm sorry I marked this story as "Completed", I overlooked that! And thank you all who read, reviewed, kept on alert, etc. I love all of you and I'm loving writing this story! The pleasure's mine!)**


	10. Home

Terra and the two seated people in front of her, both bearing uncanny resemblances to the geomancer, took long looks at each other. All three people had neutral, unreadable faces on, and their blue eyes were studying their respective foci.

From Terra's observation, her parents had not changed much. They had definitely aged a bit, with visible grey hairs and lines of wrinkles on their elegantly pale faces, but they were still much the same as the images from her memories.

Mrs. Markov showed the first sign of emotion, with tears slowly coming out of her eyes.

"Tara..." she said. "It really is you."

"Mom. Dad."

Terra's heart was pumping faster than all the times she was - as she would call it - going crazy when she was with the Titans.

_No, get the Teen Titans out of your mind,_ she mentally told herself. _This is your new life, Terra. Take it._

Mr. Markov then burst out laughing, how any typical king would. "Tara, how we've missed you! You are as endearing and as beautiful as ever."

"Come closer, Tara, so I can hug you."

Terra, for the first time in years, obeyed her parents. She ran towards her mother and lunged herself at the formally-dressed lady and burst into tears upon first much-desired touch. Mr. Markov shortly stood up and joined them in their tight hug, not wanting to let go for a long time.

"It's okay, my daughter," the Mayor assured Terra. "You're not alone now. You are home."

**_Hold on to me as we go  
As we roll down this unfamiliar road  
And although this wave is stringing us along  
Just know you're not alone  
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your home_**

"I hate to break up the reunion," Slade interrupted. "But I have matters to discuss with Mayor Markov."

Terra glared at Slade. _What does he have to tell my dad?_

Mr. Markov broke free from the warm embrace. "Of course, Slade! Anything for bringing beloved Tara back to us."

The guards lead Mr. Markov and Slade to another room, where they talked.

"Do you know what they're talking about?" Terra asked her mother, receiving a nod in response.

"But that's not the matter for us, sweetie," Mrs. Markov replied. "The most important thing is that you're here. How have you been? I can see you have grown a lot."

Terra smiled. She was having a heart-to-heart with her mom again.

But then she remembered about her powers. She worried that her parents and the rest of Markovia would not be as accepting of her if they knew that she could control rocks.

"I'm doing fine," she replied. "But I have something to tell you..."

"Yes?" Mrs. Markov urged her daughter to continue.

"This happened after I, you know, ran away from the country..."

Pauses were plentiful when Terra was talking. She kept second guessing, wondering if she would receive the reaction she dreaded.

"I don't know how, but they just suddenly appeared one day. Four to five months since I left."

"We cried a lot when you disappeared, you know," Mrs. Markov told Terra. "We thought you were a victim of the Tarbal Avenue curse."

"That's still going on?"

Mrs. Markov nodded, and then urged Terra to continue again.

Terra took a deep, long breath before muttering what she wanted to admit.

"I have superpowers."

Terra looked suspenseful into her mother's eyes. Mrs. Markov's smile did not go away.

"Mom? Please say something."

Mrs. Markov chuckled, calming Terra down a lot. "I don't care if you have superpowers, Tara! But what can you do?"

Terra could not believe her ears. She was now smiling inside and out.

"I'm gonna need a bigger space. You'll know what I mean when I show you."

**_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
__Don't pay no mind to the demons  
__They fill you with fear_**

They went to the courtyard, the place for guards to call for duty, for Terra to show off her powers. Mrs. Markov was amazed at how big the rocks Terra could control were.

After the 'performance', Mrs. Markov was grinning from ear to ear and applauding loudly.

"I'm so proud of you, Tara!" she exclaimed.

"Well," Terra muttered. "I haven't exactly done only proud deeds."

"But you seem to get the hang of it now, so I'm sure nobody minds."

Terra hugged her mom again, she couldn't get enough of that, and said, "I'm so happy I'm back here in Markovia. It's like you know everything I've been through while I'm gone. I did have control issues with my powers, but I've got so much better."

Mrs. Markov chuckled and kissed her daughter on the head. "Let's go back in the Castle, we're having a celebration feast.

* * *

"Cheers to Terra!"

"Cheers!"

"Oh, guys..."

Mr. Markov, Mrs. Markov, Tara Markov, and - to Terra's chagrin - Slade, sat on one of the ends of a long dinner table as they toasted and began eating.

"Why is Slade here, dad?" Terra asked, not ashamed to come across as rude to Slade. "He's not eating anyway, unless he can eat through his mask."

"I helped you get here, I'll have you reminded," Slade retorted calmly. "And you're right, I'm not eating. In fact, if you excuse me that I dismiss."

There was no argument, and Slade left to wherever. Terra decided to take some more of the family re-bonding time to catch up.

"So, dad, I didn't get the chance to ask you but how have you been?"

"Oh, nothing's changed much, m'dear," Mr. Markov answered, taking a sip of red wine. "Other than you, precious."

"She has superpowers, Malcolm!" Mrs. Markov told him, looking excited, making Terra blush. She was really astonished at how accepting they were to her, all the more making her happy to be there.

"That's nice," Mr. Markov said, also smiling. "This is truly a wonderful day for the Markovs.

"Yeah, if only Maximus were here too, and if only he weren't guilty..."

The parents turned to their daughter, who started to look sad again as she remembered her elder brother and their only son.

"He is a disgrace, Tara," the Markovian Mayor said, "Grateful decency _he_ didn't show up on our gates. But let's forget about him, now, m'dear, we want to talk about you!"

Terra took another bite of her meal before asking, "Well, what do you want to know about?"

Mrs. Markov looked at her husband, as if asking for some kind of permission to say something. From her view, Terra guessed her father gave her mother the green light to say those things.

"We're getting old, Tara -"

"I don't know if I'll be able to take the role of the Mayoress," Terra instantly said, knowing full well where her parents were going with the conversation. "I'm merely a teen!"

"We know, sweetie, but Maximus was supposed to be next in line for the throne. But look at how that turned out. You will do great in this responsibility, Tara. You've been through a lot. After many years, no one here in Markovia despises you for leaving. They are arms open wide for your return, and thus for your soon-to-be received reign!"

Terra took a moment to think about it. She didn't really like the idea of getting more power, considering how she was just trying to control the superpowers she had. But it was for a nation, and for her family name. And surely, with the love of her parents, she could do anything.

"Okay, I'll do it!"

"Splendid!" her father said, standing up. "But first, one thing!'

"What is it, dad?"

"You will need the appropriate attire as well as that signature Markovian hair clip."

Terra blushed once more as she looked at what she was wearing. Brown baggy pants, a black shirt, with her belly-button sticking out unsuitably, her skin uncleaned, and she felt her hair frizzy and dirty. She had long lost the silver comb-like hair clip with the ruby on it, the one that Slade returned to her when she encountered him for the first time while fighting with the Teen Titans.

_Teen Titans, get them out of your head right now._

"I'm sure our tailors will be able to produce something nice and tidy for you," Mrs. Markov told her.

"Oh, so you have two tailors now?"

"Four."

_**The trouble it might drag you down  
**__**If you get lost, you can always be found  
Just know you're not alone  
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your**** home**_

"Ah!"

Mr. Markov exclaimed as his heiress daughter emerged from the fitting room in her baby blue gown and a new hair clip, this time red in color with a jade pebble on it.

"You look stunning, Tara."

It took awhile for Terra to get the feel of royalty back after sleeping under the stars on the rocks for so long. From riches to rags and back to riches, that was her life so far.

Terra thanked Mr. Markov and together they walked to the door, before Terra decided to stop them.

"I want you to tell me something first. What were you and Slade talking about earlier?"

"Oh," Mr. Markov replied. "Just some promises that need to be honored."

Terra was for the most part convinced by her father's answer, but not totally. But she didn't ask further as a guard suddenly opened their door.

"What is it?" Mr. Markov asked kind of impatiently.

"We have an incoming visitor, and he claims he knows Ms. Markov," the guard informed the two.

Terra sighed. She had a strong feeling she knew who it was. "I just can't get a break, can I?"

* * *

_I do not know the flying distance from Jump City to Europe is so long!_

Beast Boy, in pterodactyl form and with his luggage bound to him with a rope, was en route to Markovia. During his trip, he had thought up many questions to ask.

_Why did Terra leave after we saved her in the amusement park? Why is she with Slade? Why Markovia? Is there an ulterior motive? What is going on?_

After a day, Beast Boy had finally arrived at the little country, but it was so small he almost overlooked it.

_This is more tiring than the mountain climb to Jericho,_ he thought, preparing for landing. The aerial view he got of Markovia was already enough to spot the edges of the entire country. It was the size of Hawaii, and he wasn't even on considerably high ground!

So he was able to see what Markovia was mainly divided into; a street of classic market stalls, rows of mediocre houses, spots of more luxurious looking cottages of what seemed to be a villa, greenery that he figured must have been gardens and parks, public forums and a tall castle. He figured it shouldn't take a day for him to explore the whole place, but much less.

Beast Boy finally reached solid ground and transformed back to his human form.

"Time to get Terra back," he told himself, but he had been paying so much attention to the country main areas that he didn't realize a circle of guards waiting for him from directly below. Once he saw them surrounding him, he knew getting Terra back would be harder than he initially thought.

"Ohhh... Does anyone speak _ENGLISH_?" he asked the guards. Their uniforms reminded the superhero of the Papal Swiss Guards, so he thought they were probably not going to be the corrupted, indecent, unjust type of civil servants.

"Yes, we speak English you imbecile," retorted one of the guards, making Beast Boy bite his tongue.

"Whoa, dudes!" Beast Boy improvised, trying to find a way to get in Markovia without going straight to the local prison. "I'm sorry. I just came here to visit a friend! She sent me a postcard! Nice place you got here!"

He then saw three of the guards quietly discussing among one another. When they finally broke off their whispers, one of them spoke on behalf of them.

"You mentioned of Tara Markov. Why?"

Somehow, that name rang something in Beast Boy, but he was too busy getting away scotch free to dwell over the name.

"Teenage girl, yay high, blonde hair, big bright blue eyes, outdoors outfit, ring any bells?"

"Yes, we know her," the guard - Beast Boy assumed in-chief - replied. "We _all_ know her."

The Chief Guard then ordered one of the guards to inform the Mayor. Sweat dropped from the top of Beast Boy's head and trickled down to his neck. He was wondering why would they need the involvement of the mayor, unless Terra was someone significant to the mayor or Markovia.

"Markovia?" he said out loud.

"Yes, you are in Markov. Yes, Tara is in Markovia."

"Tara?"

Beast Boy noticed that the guard had pronounced Terra's name Tah-rah, as opposed to the way he was used to, Tear-rah. He then realized that Phobia had said Tara, and with the last name Markov. That was the first time he had heard the name 'Tara Markov'.

"Tara Markov?" he uttered.

"Yes," the Chief Guard confirmed, becoming irritated at the green-skinned teenager's constant utterances.

"She is the President's daughter?"

"The _Mayor_'s, actually. Now, if you are done asking questions, we will need to take you to the Castle to find out if Ms. Markov is indeed familiar of you. Guards, take him!"

Three guards quickly grabbed Beast Boy by the arms and forced him to walk past the entrance gates and towards the Castle. Beast Boy did not counterattack because he didn't want to give Markovians the impression that he was someone bad. And because the guards' pointy sticks were slightly intimidating on how far they would go to achieve justice.

He just had to stay calm and see Terra and get the facts straight. Only then would everything be clear. It would have been easier if the guards weren't poking at Beast Boy quite vigorously just to make him go faster.

**_Settle down, it'll all be clear  
__Don't pay no mind to the demons  
__They fill you with fear_**

"Bring him in!" the Mayor ordered, seated at his leader's throne, his wife by his side.

"Ow! Ouch! Hey, watch it, dude!"

Terra's guess was correct. It was Beast Boy. She was standing beside her mother, and she had been bracing herself to see him.

The guards brought in Beast Boy, and the royal parents were shocked by his skin color.

"Do you have skin disease?" Mrs. Markov questioned upon seeing the person. "And do you take care of your teeth? You have a sharp one sticking out."

Beast Boy was offended, wondering if that was how people in Markovia treated each other. "It's a fang! And what kind of hospitality does this country have? First, I was poked around by the guards unnecessarily, and then someone gives out a prejudicial comment of me!" He then saw Terra and shut up.

Terra didn't speak or give him eye contact. She was looking at the guards, but when they were ordered to leave, she wandered her eyes upward, anywhere but at him.

"Who are you?" Mr. Markov asked straightforwardly. "And why is your skin green? Are you a performer in make-up?"

_No mercy I see,_ Beast Boy cleared his throat and introduced himself.

"I'm Beast Boy. And I'm green because I turned out this way!"

Mr. Markov was whispering to Mrs. Markov while Beast Boy was talking, which offended him even more. He never thought he would be the one running low on patience.

"Could he be one of the Abritraries?" the Mayor whispered to Mrs. Markov. "It's possible that he was one of the fortunate ones."

Beast Boy couldn't hear them, nor could Terra, but that didn't change the fact that the royal bodies were being unprofessionally rude. "Hello, I'm still here! Stop ignoring and insulting me, Your Highness...es!" Beast Boy glanced at Terra, and noticed that she had been avoiding eye contact. He just wanted to get some answers.

"He has to go," Mrs. Markov whispered, leaving Beast Boy to continue grumbling. "He may be dangerous."

Mr. Markov nodded and then, to the surprise of Beast Boy and Terra, shouted, "Guards, TAKE HIM AWAY!"

The guards came back and poked and grabbed Beast Boy again, which really got him mad.

"Get off me!" he yelled, and then transformed into a gorilla in order to break free.

"Daddy, what are you doing?" a confused Terra asked, finally giving a two-second eye contact full of perplexity with Beast Boy. "He's not someone bad, I promise! Please, let him go!"

"You know him?" Mrs. Markov asked incredulously. Mr. Markov waved at the guards to tell them to release Beast Boy.

The guards stopped attacking a gorilla Beast Boy and left in single-file motion. Beast Boy resumed human form, dusting off the dirt on his Doom Patrol uniform, and he thanked Terra before her parents began interrogating _her_.

"Who is he?" her father queried as politely as possible.

"He is a hero from Jump City, California. That's in the United States of America," she answered. "He's a good guy."

"Now, if you excuse me, I would like to talk to Terra," Beast Boy said, more alert than ever of any other surprise attacks.

"I'll make this quick, Beast Boy," Terra said, trying to sound as calm. "I don't want to go back to Jump City. This is my home now. These are my parents. No one can top them. Not even you, so please don't try to."

Beast Boy's ears drooped down. He even forgot why he went through all the trouble to talk to her in the first place when now it seemed like it was for nothing. But then why did it feel so important in the first place?

"I understand," he said. "I-I'll leave now."

Beast Boy left the Castle and walked - once again dejectedly - as he needed to make his round trip home.

_**The trouble it might drag you down  
**__**If you get lost, you can always be found  
Just know you're not alone  
'Cause I'm gonna make this place your**** home**_

Beast Boy was walking, staring at the ground.

"You made it."

There was no mistake in that voice.

"Slade."

Beast Boy looked up and saw the cool, collected and calculating Slade.

"I hope you're not thinking of leaving so soon," Slade continued. "There are more things to see."

"I'd rather go home," Beast Boy said flatly, glaring at the nemesis of the Titans. "Why are you here?"

Slade squinted at Beast Boy and replied, "The same reason you will have when I tell you what I have to tell you. But first..."

Beast Boy was growling, keeping on his toes as Slade walked in circles around him. They were somewhere in between the Castle and the Marketplace, and no one was there. It was like an open space square that had no use anymore.

"You may want to stay and talk for awhile longer," Slade went on. "By longer I mean for a few more days. So you will need to book a room somewhere in Tarbal Avenue."

"How do I know I should believe you?"

"Tarbal Avenue is filled with the villagers. I won't hurt you or anything."

"Not like that hasn't happened before!"

"There's something wrong with this place, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy was confused. There didn't seem to be anything wrong other than the hospitality. No wonder no one in the Teen Titans team had heard about the country.

"Here are your room keys," Slade handed Beast Boy a typical hotel chain of keys. "Stay there, explore Markovia, get to know the people. Make yourself at home. We will soon have business to attend to."

* * *

**Author's Note: Oooh, Beast Boy and Slade talking to each other without throwing fists?! What is Slade talking about? What are Terra's parents talking about? So many mysteries! This story is far from over! What ARE Slade's REAL intentions? Read on! ^_^ Thank you for the reviews and readers' response! =D But I would like to know what are the good and bad things about writing/story? Thanks! ^_^**

**The song is Home by Phillip Phillips. =D**


	11. Secrets

**(A/N: HELLO! This chapter is more than twice as long as the others, but it's a song of many words and this story has a lot of secrets to be revealed, and many of them are revealed here! You can say this is the peak, but I hope what I did here will clear any fogs that you wonderful readers may have from the past chapters. Enjoy reading, everyone!)**

* * *

R-r-r-r-r-ing!

"Five more minutes, Robin..."

R-r-r-r-r-ing! R-r-r-r-r-ing! R-r-r-r-r-ing!

Beast Boy's ears twitched. _That didn't sound right_, he thought. Normally, after he told Robin that he would be up soon, Robin would be shaking him rigorously to get up. Beast Boy was missing the second part of that morning phase.

Then he remembered that he wasn't in Titans Tower. He was in Markovia, staying in an inn in Tarbal Avenue.

"I gotta get up," Beast Boy moaned to himself, transforming into a dog to stretch and scratch. He was to meet with Slade that morning. Slade had asked him to meet at the Serenity Pid Park to have further discussion on the 'matter'. Beast Boy still had no clue what the matter was.

He then heard knocking on the door followed by the call, "Housekeeping!"

"They have room service in an inn?" Beast Boy asked himself, scratching his head. "Dude, the rest of Markovia should follow this type of hospitality! It's the perfect example!"

Beast Boy opened the door for the maid to enter and clean up.

"Where are you going, son?" the maid asked politely, with the signature service smile.

"Oh, I have a meeting with someone. Good day, and thanks for the service!"

Beast Boy was about to leave his room, but the maid put him to an abrupt halt.

"You should know about the 'No Pets Allowed' policy!" she scolded him. Beast Boy was at first confused, then noticed that there was dog odor around the room. He blushed and let out a laugh.

"Um, sorry," he apologized lamely. "I - uh - kicked the dog out."

The maid looked at Beast Boy suspiciously, then released him, and adding, "Don't worry, son. It will get better."

Beast Boy was even more confused, giving the maid an unsure look. She pointed at his green skin, and Beast Boy wanted to tear his hair apart. Instead, he just thanked the maid and left before any other comments were to be said.

Beast Boy was anticipating what Slade was going to tell him, and as he exited the inn and made his way to the park, he had one thing in mind.

_Secrets will be revealed today._

_**I need another story**_  
_**Something to get off my chest**_  
_**My life gets kinda boring**_  
_**Need something that I can**** confess**_

Terra opened her eyes. Above her was a small but still grand chandelier. Sunlight shone from the window and through the mint green curtains. She had the best sleep in such a long time. The last great sleep she had was in the Titans Tower.

Terra immediately dismissed the thought of the Teen Titans with a very relaxing stretch and a comfortable yawn to match. Satisfied with her sleep, she hopped out of bed to get changed, wondering what would await her today.

She checked her closet, filled with the most beautiful dresses she had ever seen. Today, she were to go with purple. It felt so alien to her, reverting her lifestyle to royalty. She wasn't sure what was in store for her.

Once she was prepped up, she was ready to leave her room. She opened the door, and saw none other than Slade.

"Have you been creeping?" she asked, feeling irritated and disgusted that Slade had probably been stalking outside her door all morning.

"You know me, Terra," Slade replied. "I just came to check up on you. And..." Slade closed the door behind him, "talk for a bit."

"I want to know what you and my dad were talking about the other day," she demanded, but Slade didn't acknowledge her requisition.

"We have a deal, remember?" Slade reminded Terra. "I tell you how you got your life back, and you tell me more about the experimenting occurring in Markovia."

In the back of her head, Terra was wondering what Slade was talking about. Then, she remembered. Slade had mentioned that her parents were on an experimenting spree. Only, that wasn't the truth.

"I remember," she said. "You go first."

"Excellent."

Terra sat on the edge of her bed, listening very intently. One of her biggest questions was about to be answered. She was about to finally know the truth.

"When we were... let's say dead... many things had probably happened. I don't know how life went on during those missing hours. But I wasn't completely dead. Somehow, I could still think, move, just not on Earth. Have you ever head of Trigon the Terrible?"

Terra nodded. "He's real?"

"Indeed," Slade continued. Terra had to admit, his voice made him a good storyteller, and when he wasn't including Terra in his talking, she would think she were listening to a bedtime story. "He's more real than you think. He is the father of Raven."

Terra was wide-eyed. She always knew Raven had many secrets, including her crush for Beast Boy, but she didn't know she had _that_ dark secret as well. It was as dark as outer space.

"Go on," she urged.

"He... _semi_-reincarnated me, to his... own _dimension_, to do his bidding.

"Then, one time, he sent me back to Earth to spread a very vital message. 'The time has come.' That was what he told me. He wanted to destroy the Earth, using Raven as the portal."

"Whoa," Terra was feeling kind of guilty at her own situation when she realized that Raven must have gone through a tougher one, being a hero when deep inside she knew she was going to unleash something much more than evil.

"In return, he would completely reincarnate me. But he, like any other devil, turned back on the deal. The Earth was under his rule, everyone was turned to stone, except for the Titans.

"When the Teen Titans saved the world and defeated Trigon, everyone returned to life."

Terra was starting to understand the story.

"Everyone that was turned to stone got their lives back," she said. "Myself included."

"Exactly," Slade confirmed. "It was good for you that you turned to stone, because that's what enabled you to be brought back."

Terra was speechless. Everything she was hearing was just overwhelming her.

"Wow." Her voice was breathy.

"Your turn," Slade said, directing the focus to Terra and her own little secret.

"There's nothing to say," she muttered.

"Excuse me, Terra, but a deal is a deal," Slade clenched his fists. "You better not renege on it."

"I'm not reneging on it, that was all the truth I knew," Terra said, lying about it being the truth. "Whatever you told me was all I knew before I ran away."

Terra could tell Slade was a bit frustrated.

"Fine," he said, and he left.

When Terra was sure Slade was gone, she was thinking of what to do next.

_Could that be what he and dad were talking about?_ she thought. _I don't believe so, maybe that's what Slade thought they were talking about. I have to get to the bottom of this, because if Slade is desperate to find out more about this... experimenting stuff, then it's for a no good cause._

With that in mind, Terra left the room and headed for breakfast.

_**'Til all my sleeves are stained red**_  
_**From all the truth that I've said**_  
_**Come by it honestly I swear**_  
_**Thought you saw me wink, no**_  
_**I've been on the brink,**** so**_

"Good morning, Raven."

"Morning..."

Cyborg and Starfire carefully watched Raven as she sleepily hovered to the kitchen. She was making her breakfast with the enthusiasm of a lifeless robot.

Starfire glanced worriedly at Cyborg. The two of them, as well as Robin, had known that Raven would be crestfallen ever since Beast Boy left for Markovia. With three straight days of seeing Raven practically doing her automatic routine, it was taking its emotional toll on them.

"May we please talk to her?" Starfire softly asked Cyborg. "I fear good friend Raven has not been feeling the fine since the departure of Beast Boy."

"I know, Star," he replied, quickly glancing at their lonely teammate again. Raven was staring blankly at her teacup. " You wanna talk to her?"

Starfire nodded. "I feel we must support her."

With an affirmed nod, the two slowly made their way towards Raven. Raven noticed them.

"Raven, we need to talk," Cyborg began. "Have you been sleeping?"

"Yes," Raven lied, sipping her warm tea. Her eyes were puffy and red, and it was getting worse day by day. Raven had not only been lacking sleep, but had also been weeping. She really missed her boyfriend.

"Raven, your eyes!" Starfire shrieked. She flew to the sink, returned and gently applied a soggy towel absorbing warm water around Raven's meekly looking eyes.

"I'm fine," Raven muttered, distancing herself from Starfire and her motherly ways.

Cyborg didn't buy it, it was too obvious a lie. This time, he stepped forward towards Raven and placed his hands firmly on her shoulders in a calming manner.

"Look, Raven," he said with seriousness. "You're not the only one who misses Beast Boy -"

"You're not in a relationship with him," Raven choked a bit, half snapping and half suppressive.

"He's our best friend," Cyborg continued, with a hint of encouragement in his tone. "Secondly, we are _your_ best friends too. We will go do this together and we will support you when you're down, even without Beast Boy's physical presence."

Raven sniffed, pulling back the emotions from being touched by Cyborg.

"Thanks," she said softly.

Suddenly, the lights in the room flickered red. It was a signal for incoming trouble. And, routinely, Robin rushed into the room with his signature sense of urgency.

"There's trouble at the laboratory," the leader told the team.

"What kind of lab?" Cyborg asked, and Robin looked at him sharply, as if he dreaded to say the words that he uttered out next.

"Xenothium."

* * *

"Titans, go!"

The team split up to difference sections of the factory laboratory to look for Red X.

"Okay, team," Robin spoke through the communicator. "Remember to inform us when you spot Red X."

"Gotcha!" Cyborg responded. Robin inspected the vault, Starfire the storage rooms, Raven the tanks, and Cyborg the computer labs.

Raven hovered around the tanks, using her superhuman sense of empathy to check for any signs of Red X.

"Why would Red X go here anyway?" she sighed, feeling stupid for checking the tanks instead of another station. Red X couldn't be going diving.

She felt vibration from her communicator. She pulled it out and saw Starfire on the screen.

"Friends, I require assistance!" she yelled.

"What is it, Star?" Robin was the first to reply, almost immediately after finding out it was Starfire.

"The shape-shifting White Monster is here and I am fighting it. It is most strong!"

"We're on it, Star!" Raven answered, flying up in order to phase through the ceiling.

"Not so fast, lady."

Raven gasped and spun around.

"Red X!" Hanging on one of his espionage tools, Red X had just appeared in front of Raven.

Raven quickly whipped up her communicator to call for help.

"Robin!" No immediate response. "Cyborg!" No immediate response. "Starfire!"

"Yes, R-"

Red X hit Raven's communicator with one of his lasers, and it fell into the tank.

"So," he hissed. "How are you?"

"Back off."

Red X laughed. "I'm so scared."

"Azarath, Metrion, ZINTHOS!" Raven chanted, and tried to slam Red X with something, but he dodged. Instead, Red X threw one of his body-sized red x's, and it hit Raven squarely at her stomach, sticking her to the wall.

"We meet again," he whispered into Raven's ears once he was right in front of the struggling and frustrated Azarathian. "Looks like your friend won't be able to aid you this time. What about the green one? Why didn't you call him? Too useless for you?"

"Don't you dare say that about him," Raven growled.

"Oh, there's a soft spot, I see. Where is he? Escaped from the battle? You don't have a thing for cowardly man, do you?"

Raven eyes were reddening, she was getting more furious.

"He's bravely left on a mission that only he could embark on," she said through gritted teeth. "To save Terra."

Red X looked taken aback.

"Terra?" he asked. This time, Raven was taken aback. _Why does he sound seriously interested?_

"Yes."

"Tara Markov?"

"Uh... yes."

Red X quickly peeled off the red x with his xenothium-powered gloves, releasing Raven.

"What are you doing?" Raven asked. _What is going on?_

When Red X replied, Raven heard vulnerability and hope in his voice, something out of the usual.

"Please tell me where Terra is. Please."

_**Tell me what you want to hear**_  
_**Something that will light those ears**_  
_**Sick of all the insincere**_  
_**So I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

"Mmm... Don't you love venison, m'dear?"

Terra took a taste of the well-cooked game and its texture lit up her insides.

"It's delicious!" she exclaimed to her mother. The three Markovs were eating a feast for brunch.

"Princess," Mr. Markov then said while Terra continued munching on her food. "Tonight, would you like to go see the Prominent Guards in their training? I would want you to learn how they operate so that when you rule the country one day, you'd know what to do."

Terra smiled at her father. "Of course, dad."

"By the way, where is Slade?"

Terra looked down at her food, thinking about her talk with Slade that morning.

"I don't know," she said hastily. "But since we're at the topic of him, I want to ask something, and also tell you something."

Her parents silenced and eagerly waited for what their daughter was going to say.

"Whatever Slade might have told you or will maybe tell you, do not fully trust him on it."

"You really dislike him, Tara," Mrs. Markov pointed out.

"Yes, but something more as well. I gave him the story that both of you are responsible for the Tarbal Avenue curse, and that you've been kidnapping people for an obsession with experiments."

There was dead silence in the dining room, followed by laughter from all three of them.

"You were lying to him, right?" Mrs. Markov asked while holding back laughter.

"Of course!" Terra said. "But he thinks it's the truth and so I don't want you guys to freak out if he ever mentions that to you. He hasn't?"

"No, m'dear," Mr. Markov said, drinking from his goblet. "But what can I do if he does?"

"He'll have to tell Slade the truth and Mr. Wilson will know that you've been lying to him," Mrs. Markov added. "It's not good to lie, darling. You should tell him the truth."

"But why should I?" Terra challenged. "His reputation is bad and beyond. We shouldn't trust him."

"He told me he's turned over a new leaf on his life," Mr. Markov told her, which Terra didn't believe at all. "Tara, it is the right thing to do. Just because he has lied, doesn't mean you can."

Terra heaved a sigh. She emptied her cup of milk.

"How did you come up with that story, anyway?" her mother asked very curiously.

"It was a story brother told me," she replied flatly, almost regretfully. "Maximus Brian Markov." Standing up, she then said, "I'm going to get changed in my room. I want to visit the Marketplace and familiarize myself there again."

Terra had thoughts as she was walking out the room and towards her bedroom.

_If dad and Slade weren't talking about the lie, then what were they talking about?_

_**This time don't need another perfect lie**_  
_**Don't care if critics ever jump in line**_  
_**I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

"Tell me where she is," Red X begged. He had taken Raven to safe ground, where he was practically on his knees for the information.

The thing that troubled Raven was not that Red X was on his knees and almost breaking down, but that she felt he was being genuine.

"She's in a country called Markovia," she answered, and Red X immediately stood up.

"She's returned?" he said within an inhalation.

"Okay, what is going on?" Raven was more clueless than ever. "Do you know Terra?"

"Yes!" he said, then paused in thought. "Let's go find your friends and Brian."

"Wh-who on Earth is Brian?!"

* * *

"It's escaping!" Robin yelled, running after the White Monster in the texture of a test tube glass.

"Not on my watch," a furious Cyborg said, jumping to an extraordinary height and landing hard right on the mute creature. "Booyah! You're not getting away this time! Argh!"

Cyborg was blasted off by a red x.

"Cyborg!" Starfire called out, flying to his aid.

"Red X!" Robin scowled at the man in black behind the White Monster. He charged, but was blocked by a telekinetic field. "…and Raven?!"

"Robin, cease combat. He's not going to harm us anymore," Raven said.

"Please, friend Raven, tell us," Starfire said. "Why have you sided with the X of Red?"

"I just want to know Terra's whereabouts," Red X pleaded.

"What?" What puzzled Robin was that, like Raven, he felt a strong sense of sincerity from Red X as he spoke.

"If it'll make you trust me," Red X muttered before removing his mask. The Titans were wide-eyed when they saw the face of the man in the Red X costume.

"Wow..."

He had the purest skin the Titans had ever seen. His hair was silky blond, he had pearly and piercing blue eyes, and he had a small brown goatee. Raven was the last one to stop staring in wonder, watching him help the White Monster up.

"Are you okay, Brian?" the man asked, receiving an okay grunt as response.

"You call _that_ Brian?" Raven asked.

"I don't know his name," he replied. "We came from the same place and met in the same hiding. I decided to call him by my middle name."

"Okay, then what's your _first_ name?" Cyborg asked.

"My name is Maximus," Maximus answered. "Maximus Brian Markov."

"You're Terra's brother?!" Robin exclaimed in surprise. All this time, the person that stole his costume and took the legacy of Red X to a whole new level was related to one of their former Titans. It was a lot of new released information even for the Boy Wonder.

Cyborg was about to inspect Brian, but Maximus slapped his metallic arm before he could. "He doesn't want to be treated like a lab rat."

Cyborg let out an embarrassed laugh and apologized.

Maximus continued, "You guys can run a DNA scan on me, lie detectors, advanced security checks, whatever, but I _really_ need to get to Terra as soon as I can before something bad happens to her. Raven -"

Maximus pointed at Raven, who looked at him inquisitively.

"Beast Boy may be in trouble too, and your powers will be able to get us there in half the time."

"Wh-what, you're asking me to come with you to Markovia?" She couldn't. She would break the deal that Slade had made and risk Beast Boy's life even more. "I can't. Slade said-"

"_Slade Wilson?!_ He's in on this too?!" Maximus asked loudly. "He can't be trusted, you know!"

"We know," Robin mumbled. "We've been on his tail for years. We don't know what we're thinking, letting Beast Boy go alone. We need to get to Markovia."

Maximus then faced Raven again, and Raven took a closer look at his face. It was flawless and dazzlingly handsome. He said, "Raven, what I need is for us to go somewhere first. To pick up someone... significant to Slade and Markovia."

"Finally, a connection."

Starfire was looking eagerly at Raven and Maximus, "So are we going to the country of Markovia and rescue our friend? Spledid!"

"Not yet," Maximus told her. Robin was about to protest, but Maximus interrupted him. "If we can get this person to join us, we can enter Markovia altogether. Things will definitely be stirred up badly if you guys just barge into there. The Mayor..." Maximus cringed as he said the word. "...will not allow it. Trust me, I'm a former Markovian. Raven and I will go pick up this person in the European mountains, and then we will go to Markovia."

"And who is this _person_ you are referring to?" Cyborg questioned.

"Slade's son. Have you guys heard of Jericho?"

_**My God, amazing how we got this far**_  
_**It's like we're chasing all those stars**_  
_**Who's driving shiny big black cars**_  
_**And everyday I see the news**_  
_**All the problems that we could**** solve**_

Beast Boy was strolling around Serenity Pid Park. There was almost no one there, and the handful of people that were momentarily stared at him and his green skin before moving on to their own activities.

Judging by the fact that there were no children playing in the park, he figured it must have been a weekday morning to afternoon. Beast Boy had no idea what day it actually was since he left his teammates he was starting to miss, especially Raven.

He saw Slade sitting at a patio with regal-style plain white pillars and rock cylinders for sitting on. Beast Boy took the seat directly opposite Slade and eyed him.

"Greetings, fellow nemesis," Slade said. "Ready to learn more about Markovia? It's a wonderful town-sized country from the exterior, but this place has more to it than just a nation with people in their provincial lives."

"You better make this honest and quick, Slade," Beast Boy said with boldness in his voice.

"First of all," Slade began, stretching his arms wide. "Welcome to Serenity Pid Park. Does the name have some meaning to you?"

"Peaceful, which I agree," Beast Boy muttered. "Where are you going with this?"

"Serenity Pid," Slade continued. He then spelt out the name. "What happens if you place each letters of P-I-D into a certain spot in the word 'Serenity'?"

Beast Boy thought of what he said, but with his limited vocabulary he came up short. "Any hints?"

"Put D-I-P after 'n'," Slade instructed and Beast Boy imagined so.

"S-E-R-E-N-D-I-P-I-T-Y... Serendipity... What does that mean?"

Slade sighed. "This may take longer than I thought."

Beast Boy growled. "Hey dude, I didn't come over here to be taught English!"

"It means 'pleasant surprise', something nice stumbled upon unintentionally," Slade defined. Beast Boy was still not getting the big picture, so Slade moved on. "Now, think of Tarbal."

Beast Boy worked harder for that word, still coming up with no results.

"Two words," Slade hinted, still no answer, making Slade do a facepalm. "Spell it backwards."

"L-A-B-R-A-T," Beast Boy spelled out. "OH! Lab rat!"

Slade nodded. "_Now,_ I can tell you the whole story, or more likely _hi_story of a phenomenon, a legend, circulating and haunting Markovians for the past decade.

"Long story short, Tarbal Avenue is said to be cursed."

Beast Boy gulped. He was staying at an inn in Tarbal Avenue. He listened intently.

"Why, just yesterday there was another case of a disappearance. Every now and then, someone from this little row of residence would just never be seen ever again. Those who lived here and just suddenly disappeared never returned. Men, women, kids, a whole family one-by-one even, vanished with no trace of where to. It's scary and true, but these people couldn't do anything. They didn't know where to go, how to go wherever, or even get to the richer places where the curse is not in play."

"Then? _Then?_"

"No one knows how, why, where to, they disappeared. No signs. No evidence. No ideas. Nothing. But someone knew, and has told me. These victims were kidnapped for inhumane superhuman experiments. Tested on with chemicals and formulas to give them powers. Failed or succeeded, they were then locked in a Level 5 containment vessel for the rest of eternity."

"Who would do such a thing? Sounds like something Professor Chang would do." Beast Boy recalled Red Star telling a similar story when he was in the military and tested on in search for the perfect hero of the country.

"Precisely," Slade answered, making Beast Boy gasp. It didn't make sense to the shape-shifter since the sinister Professor Chang had been frozen in the Brotherhood of Evil's lair. He waited for Slade's explanation. "Actually, the source didn't exactly specify who the lead scientist was, but the descriptions sounded like Professor Chang's doing. He and Terra's parents -"

"Her parents?!" Beast Boy was shocked.

"That's the big shock," Slade continued. "Anyway, yes, they worked together on this big project for many years, even before their reign, with Terra's grandparents. This is how Terra got her powers."

Beast Boy clenched his fist. _How dare they do that to her! She's totally not safe with them!_

"Now, your task," Slade said, finishing the story, "is to snoop around Markovia for clues as to this Tarbal Avenue 'curse'. I've been looking around the Castle, no such luck. Maybe your foolishness will lead you to look in places everyone would least expect."

"So... investigate?"

Slade nodded in response. He then stood up and walked away, leaving Beast Boy to think of whether he should snoop around or not.

After thinking about it, he knew he had to find the truth. That's what he wanted all along. If Terra's truth wasn't actually true, then he had to find the real truth. He stood up and began his investigation.

_**And when a situation rises**_  
_**Just write it into an album**_  
_**Send it straight to gold**_  
_**But I don't really like my flow, no,**** so**_

Terra planned on spending most of the afternoon to explore the Marketplace.

The Marketplace is much like any large village market. People were selling things that people would use every day. From food to housing items to electronic goods, the Marketplace consisted of an overwhelmingly long street with stalls separated by a few inches on both sides, leaving a quite narrow passage for people in the middle of the street. Despite the many amenities and stalls to choose from, Terra knew exactly where she wanted to go first.

"May I purchase a strawberry cheesecake? Frosted."

"Coming right up, fine lady," the baker of St. Pierre's Bakery said, taking out a dish of the dessert and placing it under a frosting machine. The baker was young, in his young adult years, with straight ruffled hair and a slight but well-established build. "I haven't seen you around. May I know your name, beautiful one?"

"Tara," Terra answered, and she got the bewildered reaction she expected.

"The Mayor's daughter," he stammered with a quick head bow. "Pleasure to meet you. Here's your cake."

"Grateful decency. Hey, uh…" Terra was hopelessly searching for a name tag.

"Gerard," the baker Gerard introduced himself with a half-smile. "Gerard St. Pierre."

"Where's the older man who used to run this bakery?" Terra asked. "Merry Man Morse."

Gerard's voice dropped as he replied, "My dad. Tarbal Avenue curse."

"Oh… Sorry about that." Terra wished she could help, simce she was soon to be in control of Markovia and all. "Do you have any clues about this curse?"

"Well…" Gerard hesitantly began. "There are some rumors. I mean, we all thought Maximus Markov was the culprit, and for awhile after he and you disappeared, the curse halted. But it returned soon enough. It's either your brother has someone else continuing the operations, or he secretly returned."

Terra stared furiously at her food as she recalled her final moments in Markovia in Serenity Pid Park.

The baker then chuckled and continued, "There was also a rumor that your parents kidnapped the people to become fighting creatures."

Terra looked suspiciously at Gerard. He was saying what her brother had told her.

"Who told you that?"

Gerard shrugged. "It's been talked about sometime after you ran away. But no one believes it. Why, you plan on getting me in trouble for speaking against your parents? I don't believe in that crap."

_So big brother had told the people here about this lie of his..._ Terra said in her mind. "No, I won't. Well, thanks for the cake."

Terra turned around and walked away, scooping up a part of the cream and into her mouth.

"Wait."

Terra turned back around to face Gerard.

"What does 'thanks' mean?" he asked. Terra let out a soft giggle at his cuteness.

"Sorry," she said. "I meant to say 'grateful decency'." She was about to turn back around, but he asked another question.

"Will you visit here often?"

"Likely," she replied cheerily. "Bye now."

Gerard laughed. "Hope to see you soon."

Terra walked away, expecting to hear his sultry voice ask her another question. She was also maddened that her brother had made everyone in Markovia lose a bit of trust in her parents by spreading such rumors.

_They wouldn't believe it,_ Terra thought. _Gerard wasn't that irritated about it, maybe he let it go._

She decided to make her way to a stall selling spices.

"Is this coriander?" she asked curiously.

"Ow!"

She heard a familiar voice expressing in a whisper from behind. She looked back to see whether it was who she thought, but didn't saw that person.

"Hmm..."

_**Tell me what you want to hear**_  
_**Something that will light those ears**_  
_**Sick of all the insincere**_  
_**So I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

"Mr. Wilson."

Slade was in the closed balcony that was overlooking the entire country. Malcolm Markov had seen him reenter the Castle, and decided to make everything clear with him.

"Hello, Mal," Slade recognized without having to look back. "I'm sorry if I just curtly stepped into your grandiose abode.

"No worries, my man," the Mayor reassured as he took the standing spot next to the masked man. "Actually, I did notice your entrance ten minutes ago and have decided to take this time of ours without a third party to talk about somewhat pressing matters. Or, at least, pressing specially to _me._"

"Might it have something to do with something Terra told you?" Slade asked.

"This noon," Malcolm confirmed. "Laughable, really."

"So you're denying it," Slade uttered. He was betrayed, but he expected it from Terra.

Malcolm gave Slade a raised eyebrow.

"No matter," Slade went on. "I know about the Tarbal Avenue curse prior to visiting Markovia, you know…"

"Of course, Mr. Wilson! Everyone who's lived in Markovia would know about the dreaded curse!"

"I will find who did it," Slade said, with an unwavering promise in his tone. "And I won't count past anyone here to find them."

"Even the Mayor?" This time, it was Slade's turn to give a 'what-do-you-think' facial expression. "You won't find it here, I regret! Now, if you would excuse me, I have a meeting with the Department of Health to attend to."

Mr. Markov grinned at Slade and loftily left Slade.

Slade continued staring at the scenery, quietly speaking to himself.

"I will find you one day, Jericho."

_**This time, don't need another perfect lie**_  
_**Don't care if critics ever jump in line**_  
_**I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

Raven and Maximus - back in his Red X costume in case he needed to be undercover - had left the remaining three Titans plus Brian the White Monster, as the two left to retrieve Jericho.

"Welcome to the Titans H.Q., Brian!" Cyborg exclaimed as he brought Brian into the tower.

Starfire flew into their home as cheerful as ever and ecstatically shouted, "Yes, it is extremely exciting to have a new member of the Honorary Titans! The list is longing!"

"Um... 'getting longer', Star. 'Longing' isn't the right word to use," Robin corrected Starfire as he walked into the tower and sat on the couch to watch television.

"Ooh, is _The Thing About The Senses_ documentary on?" Starfire asked excitedly, hopping to the seating spot beside Robin as the leader flicked to the channel with Starfire's favorite documentary series airing.

"Guys," Cyborg called out to the watching couple, "I'll be hanging out with Brian in my room and running some tests on him. I'm sure he doesn't mind, right, Brian?"

Brian made a disgruntled sound that Cyborg just took as giving the green-light to him, and he led Brian to his room.

Robin and Starfire noticed that they were alone, on the sofa, watching TV. Starfire subtly inched herself closer to him, while Robin let out a yawn and stretched his arms, his right arm landing on the top part of the sofa behind Starfire.

"Is this how a date between a pair in a romantic relationship commences?" Starfire asked from out of the blue during their watching.

Robin tensed up. He glanced at Starfire, her emerald eyes gleaming as it reflected light from the TV screen.

"It's..." he drifted in his sentence as he tried to find the best words possible. "yes, except with a more sensitive movie."

"What is sensitive-er than a documentary about the human senses?" a naive Starfire asked.

Robin smiled at how adorable Starfire could be. "Never mind."

"How is love between two people with sufficient biological dissimilarity on Earth? What does the term mean to them?"

Robin gulped at Starfire's sensitive question. It was just as cognizant as the topic of girlfriends, if not more.

"I don't know," Starfire added, with a hint of desire to know and vulnerability in her voice.

"I-it's complicated," Robin said. He recalled Starfire admitting to him that she was still adapting to Earth's social norms and customs. "Love between romantic couples come in different forms."

"What form is this?"

Robin and Starfire looked at each other as Starfire asked that question. Both their pairs of eyes were rich in desire and plentiful with curiosity.

"I-I gotta check on Cyborg and Brian," Robin then said, standing up and walking away. Starfire just stared at the open space in front of her, shaking from that moment. She wanted so much to feel something. _Special_.

She felt slime creeping up on her arm, and turned to see Silkie.

"Oh, bumgorf," she sighed, cradling the larva in her caring arms as she continued watching.

_**Oh, got no reason, got no shame**_  
_**Got no family I can blame**_  
_**Just don't let me disappear**_  
_**I'ma tell you**** everything**_

Beast Boy didn't know where to begin, so he was randomly snooping around the Marketplace, not knowing where to go or who to talk to.

He stopped by a carpet stall when he spotted Terra a few stalls away on the opposite side of the street. He hid behind one of the rolled-up fur carpets as Terra was walking away from St. Pierre's Bakery. He thought she was about to look at his general direction, so he took a quick step back, knocking down one of the other carpets. That carpet tumbled and tumbled and fell with the top bumping Beast Boy's head.

"Ow!" he said softly and dropped to the ground.

"Hm..."

Beast Boy turned into the first green little animal he could think of in order to hide better. He hopped and croaked on the cemented ground as he jumped from stall to stall.

Terra was on his tail, walking casually.

"Beast Boy..." she snorted. Beast Boy had been caught. He transformed back to his true self and laughed nervously.

"I... uh... what 'cha doin' there, Tara?" he said.

Terra heaved an exasperated sigh. "Use 'Terra', I like that more, I just don't tell my parents to call me that. And why are you still here?! Have you been spying?!"

"I... uh..." Beast Boy's ears drooped and his arms slumped to his sides in defeat. "Yeah. I figured I haven't found the _real_ truth yet, and so I'm a snoopin'."

Terra folded her arms. Beast Boy had to admit, Terra in a dress looked much more beautiful and prudent, but he thought her rock star attire was more fun and youthful. Either way, her personality had not changed much since her wardrobe transformation.

"What do you mean?" she asked, and Beast Boy's ears perked back up as his nerves started tensing. If he mentioned what Slade had told him, she definitely would not approve and would even want him to leave Markovia.

"You didn't trust my words?" she asked skeptically.

"N-n-no!" Beast Boy stammered, waving his hands sideways. "It's just that... I want to know more."

Terra was getting suspicious, and the more Beast Boy spoke with voice shaking slightly, the more she knew what was going on with him.

"So you don't trust me!" she shouted. "Why do I have a feeling Slade has something to do with this?"

Beast Boy covered his eyes with his hands, and let the right one peek at Terra by flexing up one of his fingers. "... Yes."

Terra sighed again. "We need to talk..."

Terra led the way, Beast Boy followed.

"Where are we going?"

"Tarbal Avenue."

_**So tell me what you want to hear**_  
_**Something that will light those ears**_  
_**Sick of all the insincere**_  
_**So I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

Terra and Beast Boy were strolling calmly, passing by small cottages and wooden houses. They had spent the time having a storytelling session, where Beast Boy was retelling Terra what Slade had told him according to what Terra had told Slade.

Everything was as Terra had remembered telling Slade, until Beast Boy got to the anagrams.

"Serenity Pid? As in the park?" she inquired.

"Yeah," Beast Boy answered. "If you put the letters together, you can get the word 'serendipity'. Pretty cool, huh?"

"I'm listening."

"And if you reverse 'Tarbal', you'll get 'lab rat', as in the poor people will be used for unethical experiments!"

"What an interesting conspiracy theory you got there, Beast Boy."

"Dude! Why would your ancestors name a place that way? Think about it!"

"It's just a coincidence, Beast Boy."

Beast Boy looked incredulously at Terra. _How could she still not believe me?_

"You know what?" Terra then said, stopping at her tracks. "Do what you want to do here. I don't care. When you have enough proof, come back to talk to me. But if you don't, please Beast Boy, for your own good and for mine, just don't show yourself to me again."

Beast Boy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Before Terra could do anything else, he grabbed her left hand and tightened the grip, which took her by surprise.

"I have tried _so _hard," he began. "Very hard, I've tried to know what is truly happening around you. Remember, Terra, we just stumbled onto each other, you and me and the rest of the Titans. No formal introductions, just you battling a giant spider. We don't know your past, and I'm starting to feel you don't know either."

Terra forced her hand back, releasing the grip.

"You don't know me!" she countered angrily. "Bug off, Beast Boy! This is _my _life!"

Beast Boy squinted at her. There was disbelief on both sides.

"Leave me alone!" Terra said with finality. And she ran away. Beast Boy clenched his fists as he watched her distancing rapidly away from him.

"I will find out," he muttered.

_**This time, don't need another perfect lie**_  
_**Don't care if critics ever jump in line**_  
_**I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

"Tell me more about Jericho, Raven. You and your friends seem to know him."

Red X and Raven were sitting cross-legged on Raven's telekinetic hovering disk, en route to get Jericho.

"He is an Honorary Titan," Raven told Red X, real name Maximus Brian Markov. "I have never really talked to him, and after matching Terra and Jericho's outer features I'd say they do come from the same country, but Beast Boy was the one who gave him the communicator in order to prepare ourselves against the Brotherhood of Evil."

"Ahh, I've heard of them, and their defeat," Red X said.

Raven gave a smile. "Unfortunately, it didn't go _that _smoothly. But what do _you_ know about him? Is he really Slade's son?!"

Red X nodded. Raven felt like spacing out and falling off from her disk. She couldn't really believe it.

"Let's just say Jericho, and may I add Brian, is a part of the group called the Arbritraries. Yes, I know, story time."

Raven chortled at Red X's sense of humor, realizing it was very similar to her own.

Red X continued, "The Arbitraries are the victims of the Tarbal Avenue curse. After being cruelly experimented on, they were locked up in high-security jail. What the experiments were for are to give people powers to enhance the Markovian guard troops. But the way they are conducted is inhumane, and with each non-success leaves a person's life ruined and confined.

"Terra's powers to control earth comes from these chemicals from my parents' experiments, actually. She didn't have any traumatizing accident or something that I know of, this is the only explanation I can think of. My parents must have found a way to get something in her to give her such powers.

"Jericho was also one of them. He lived in Tarbal Avenue with his father, Slade Wilson, who loved Jericho with all his heart. When Jericho was kidnapped, experimented on, and imprisoned, Slade went on a crippling state of depression. He became not mentally stable. He took away his wife's life out of paranoia, thinking she had something to do with it.

"The night I found out that my parents were the criminals and that my family line had a history of being brainwashed to conduct these experiments, I found where they've been confining the Arbitraries. I managed to let some of them escape, but then the alarms signaled and I had to leave the others behind. Jericho was one of them that escaped.

"No one knew I was the one that helped them escape. But Slade saw the escaped Arbitraries running quietly away from Markovia, but convinced himself he was hallucinating. That is, until he saw Jericho. He chased after him, but Jericho didn't want to go back to his father for fear of being rejected, being called a freak for having weird powers, and so continued running until Slade lost sight of him. Sad for him, really. I saw it happen when _I_ was in hiding. It broke my heart to see little Jericho._  
_

"Slade didn't give up. He knew that was Jericho. And so he continued his search outside Markovia. And it went on, and on, and on, until his mind really just forgot why he was out in the first place, and so beginning his criminal streak I bet.

"And so, there, there's my story."

Red X looked down as if not completely proud of what he had just told Raven, while Raven just stared at him, astonished.

"Dude..." Raven said, failing to realize she had caught Beast Boy's catchphrase. "That's one history you got there."

"It is," Red X sighed, and Raven thought she said the wrong thing.

"W-what I mean to say was that I'm sorry for what has happened to you and the Arbitraries," Raven blushed out of embarrassment. She looked out at the aerial view they got, and noticed that the sun was about to set. She had another question in mind that was vying to be asked, and so she did.

"What about your escape from Markovia?"

Red X looked up at her, as if telling her 'why are you putting me on the spot?'.

"Months went on and... It happened one night. I was taking Terra to the park to play, when I found out that a woman was being kidnapped. I tried to set her free, but she mistook me as one of the kidnappers, since there was no one there - visible, at least - other than me, and Terra was sitting quietly and clueless behind the trees. So that woman punched me when I set her free and ran home shrieking that I was the one that had been kidnapping people. Boy, that helped my parents dodged a big bullet. And so I escaped as well.

"Before that, though, I told Terra to run and never look back, but I think she thought I told her to run away from Markovia, when I really just wanted her to run home. I didn't know she had got out of the country, and was disheartened when I took my frequent covert trips to Markovia and heard news that she was gone, and that the whole country was basically mad at me. I decided to look for Terra myself. I never had luck until I reached Jump City."

Raven was so into Red X's story. She found his deep, fruity and modulated voice pleasant to her ears, and also flowed well as a story-teller. "We met Terra in the canyons."

"That's nice," Red X continued. "Grateful decency for taking care of her."

Raven looked bashful as Red X thanked her, because she didn't really get along that well with Terra. She recalled their petty arguments, it was not only due to trust issues, but partly also because Raven was feeling slight jealousy.

Red X interrupted her thoughts as he went on speaking.

"I knew Slade was there in Jump City when I arrived, because his name was mentioned on many issues of the local newspaper. That made me think that some other people of the Arbitrary must be in Jump City too. Continuing my furtive ways, I managed to steal this Red X costume. Do you remember the time Sladebots attacked your tower?"

Raven nodded, "You sneaked in and stole the costume?"

Red X nodded this time. "It wasn't that hard, since the Sladebots were after you only and therefore overlooked me many times. It was the same for you guys."

Raven rolled her eyes, hated recalling the Sladebots wrecking the Titans Tower. "Go on."

"I was just there to loot whatever I could, but when I saw the costume, I thought it was the perfect espionage attire. I was just in a black ski mask, so it was nice to get out of that lame piece of clothing. There."

"You've been through a lot, Maximus," Raven said. She grabbed Maximus's hands and held them reassuringly.

"Grateful decency," Red X said. "Or thank you."

With nothing else to say, Red X and Raven remained quiet as the disk transported them towards a mountain range.

_**So tell me what you want to hear**_  
_**Something that will light those ears**_  
_**Sick of all the insincere**_  
_**So I'm gonna give all my secrets**** away**_

"Tanna, sweetie..."

"Yes, Malcolm?"

"Mr. Wilson is on to us."

"He is?!"

Mrs. Markov sat up on her canopy-like bed as she stared shocked at her husband.

"We will need to tighten the security, ensure no one ever finds out," Mr. Markov told her, sitting next to her.

"Yes, we shall... Since you will be with Terra at the courtyard later showing her the Prominent Guards, could you be so nice as to make for her a glass of warm milk?"

Mr. Markov gave Mrs. Markov a look.

"We shall do that too. Sweet Terra will be next in line soon enough. She has already attained the ability to control."

_**This time, don't need another perfect lie**_  
_**Don't care if critics ever jump in line**_  
_**I'm gonna give all my secrets away**_  
_**All my secrets away, all my secrets**** away**_


	12. Lessons In Love

**(A/N: Since this is the MID-POINT of the story, this chapter is inspired by the same song as the first chapter, I Want To Know What Love Is, by the Foreigners. Therefore, I won't be putting up the song lyrics here. This chapter will be similar to the first chapter in terms of what happens, but with another couple ;D Read on to find out which couple! Let the reading begin!)**

* * *

Starfire slowly hovered along the empty corridors. She had been bored, the Titans Tower felt much lonelier and isolated, ironically, since Raven left. With each passing day, the frequency of the Tamaranean roaming around their home increased.

It wasn't only having two members away that had been bothering her. There were only three of them left; her, Robin and Cyborg. Since Cyborg had been spending days and nights doing activities and friendly tests with Brian, who Starfire and Robin concluded was the mute materializing version that replaced Cyborg's best friend Beast Boy, Starfire had been spending much more time with the team leader.

Things between the two of them were awkward at the beginning. When one of them had to fill up for Beast Boy and Raven's household duties, cliche nervous laughter followed by typical awkward silence would occur until one of them became adamant to doing the chores. But they easily found common ground and got the hang of it and began talking casually again.

Starfire was just wondering when Robin would make a move, and wondered if it was an Earthly custom for the females to instigate a date otherwise.

"Starfire?"

"_Please show me what to do…_"

"Uh... Starfire?"

Robin followed Starfire as she absentmindedly kept hovering from one place to another.

"Starfire!"

The alien heroine snapped back to reality and spun around fast and flushed.

"Oh, Robin! I did not notice you here!"

"What happened?" a concerned Robin asked. "You looked like you're on a standstill, or you're sleep-floating. Is everything alright?"

Starfire forced a big, unconvincing smile and reassured to Robin, "Nothing is the matter, Robin! I thank you for your concern."

Robin, being the intuitive detective he could be, sensed there was something wrong that was disturbing Starfire. He never unlocked his stare, and she never unlocked hers.

"Look, Starfire, I know what this is about," Robin told her. "I know it's about me and us, and our…relationship…issues. To be honest, I have been taught how to court and make girls fall in love with me, but strangely, this is a new feeling for me…"

"But isn't that love? If I fall down, does that mean I have affection for someone?"

Robin chuckled and shook his head. He then beckoned for Starfire to stop floating and just stand in front of him.

"Not literally," he began. "And the courting I did when I was younger, that was just one-sided. The girls felt it, but I didn't, so it wasn't true. That's not true love."

Starfire was curious still. "What about in the case of us? Are we reciprocating the feelings? This…_true love_…is difficult to comprehend."

"It is if you think about it," Robin stated. "Popular belief is that it's better off happening naturally."

Starfire pressed the bottom of her chin with her pointer finger.

"What if part of the natural procedures is the thought process?" she wondered.

Robin was dumbfounded. Starfire put up a good valid point that might have revolutionized how he viewed true love.

"Ah…" he splurred. Without anything else to say, he decided to abruptly end the conversation.

"I think I have to get Cyborg and Brian up. It should be time for everyone to be awake," he said. "Which room is Brian in today?"

Starfire looked down and answered, "Terra's." She waited until the footsteps from Robin's rubber boots faded to silence just to continue staring at the empty passage.

She heaved a sigh. Robin left her question unanswered.

"Would an Earth girl act like this at this stage of love?" she quietly asked herself before making her way - sloppily on foot because she didn't have the desired emotion to fly or even hover an inch - to the kitchen where Silkie had been patiently waiting for her.

Starfire gently patted Silkie on its bulgy tummy and placed her bumgorf in the sink as she took a pot from the cabinet.

"Fear not, Silkie," she told her bumgorf. "I am merely preparing the pudding of sadness."

"What up, peeps?" Cyborg had entered the kitchen, with Brian behind him. The both of them directly headed to the fridge to extract some snacks.

"Glad to see the both of you up and well," Robin said as he, too, entered the common room. He noticed Starfire and immediately glanced away. Instead, Robin went to the fridge to talk to Cyborg and, if he could, Brian.

Both Cyborg and Brian had stacked packets of potato chips and buckets of popcorn that somehow came from the refrigerator.

"Alright, Brian, let's bring all these to my crib and let's take on each other at video games. I'll kick yo' shape-shifting butt at Mega Monkeys! For beginners, I'll let you play the first installment!"

"Cyborg?"

"Oh hey, Robin!"

Cyborg couldn't see Robin directly in front of him because the pile of junk food blocked his front view.

"Is something wrong, lil' bud?" Cyborg asked Robin.

Robin wasn't the type of person to go seeking for personal help, even from his closest peers.

"Nothing," he lied. "Just…enjoy."

"Thanks, Rob!" Cyborg exclaimed, and he and Brian left the room, leaving Robin and Starfire yet again. Robin felt much hotter and was sweating. His heart was also beating fast. Starfire was no different.

Starfire couldn't concentrate on her cooking. There simply was too much on her mind. So much curiosity. So much desire. So many thoughts.

_Is this what humans think of when they 'fall in love'? _she asked in her head. _All the 'What if' scenarios I am continuously coming up right now, do they do it too? What if this is true? What if it is not? What if it is something less…overwhelming? Why does such a feeling arise only when I think of Robin?_

Starfire stole many glances at Robin. Robin was just staring aimlessly at pots and pans, having thoughts of his own.

_Why does this feel completely different from the other women? This has never happened! I have been friends with women I ended up having a kind of relationship with, without much of a problem and hesitation. I really like Starfire. Why can't I do this? It's frustrating! We could have something going on already if I am not being such a wuss about it._

Robin turned away so that Starfire couldn't see him flinch angrily.

_Focus, Robin. Focus. Remain calm, and do what you normally do. Maybe if you do that sparks will eventually fly._

He took a deep breath and walked curtly to Starfire.

"Star," he purred. Starfire stiffened.

"Yes, Robin?" Starfire stared at Robin's seductively shifting eyebrows. Something felt different at least to her. Robin had not shown such gestures before. And it was even more uncharacteristic because of their conversation not more than an hour ago.

_Focus, _Robin continuoisly reminded himself in his head. He was to work out the situation like he would to the girls before Starfire. That was his plan of being closer to Starfire while keeping his confidence.

He slid his arm steadily until it was behind Starfire. Starfire shook a bit. It felt awkward being put in such a position.

Robin then leaned until he could whisper tenderly into Starfire's tensed up ears, "I _know _you want to go out with me."

_That's it,_ Starfire thought. It was becoming too awkward for her to handle. She wasn't used to this mode of Robin, and she did not like it one bit. So, she pushed him away with her alien strength, causing Robin to - to his very surprise - fall backwards.

"What d'you do that for?!"

"What has happened to you, Robin?!" Starfire screamed, taking cautious steps away from the Boy Wonder, who had stood back up. "Why are you acting in such an unusual manner?"

"What manner? I was about to ask you out," Robin couldn't believe Starfire did not know what he was doing, even for a girl from another planet. He had never been declined by a girl before, and this was Starfire.

On the other hand, Starfire couldn't believe that Robin had not realized that she was so uncomfortable in what he was doing to her. Did he think she wanted to be used like the ladies before her? Why else were none of them still in a close relationship with him?

"I believe I require the manual about boys at this moment!" Starfire snapped. "Prior to this, you were careful and considerate, and all of a sudden you attempt to allure me! It feels like you were being a whole different person, Robin. Please understand, it made it all the more confusing for me."

Robin wanted to explain his case, but his words seemed to be clutching at his throat. This was a completely new thing for him, and he had done many different things many people don't.

Starfire noticed that Robin was at a loss for words, so she continued.

"Robin," Starfire had a more heartfelt feeling her tone this time, rather than rage. "I do not have the affections for you simply and only because of your mask, your talents and your handsome appearance. No, not even from the beginning. Back to when we all first met, and Cyborg was constructing our home while Raven and Beast Boy were having their secretive and subtle flirting, you came up to me first, telling me that you know what I went through. I believe you. I believe you because I could and I can see such emotions of pain and yearning through your mask, in your eyes."

Starfire's tears were dripping down her face from her eyes. She let them run to show Robin her genuineness.

"I love you, Robin. I may never know what the word truly means, but I will express it nonetheless. Your vulnerability is why I never stopped losing my care for you. The sincerity in your actions whenever you speak to me is the reason I never stopped trusting you. The connection we share makes me believe in you."

Starfire sniffed.

"But never like this."

She grabbed Silkie and flew past Robin, leaving him alone in the common room. Cyborg entered the room as tears ran down and through the gap of Robin's mask.

Even though Cyborg had just stumbled upon Robin and a crying Starfire, he could tell what basically happened, and as a friend he had always been, he jumped right in to help his teammates.

"Hey man, it's okay," Cyborg placed a hand firmly on one of Robin's shoulders. "Do you want to know what I think?"

Robin rubbed off the tears and asked, "What do you think I should do?"

"Find her, try again, but this time, just be yourself." His answer was straightforward and concrete.

"But whenever I do, I freak out, check out, and step out. I figured that if I treat Starfire as one of the girls I have gone out with before, it would eventually grow.

"No one cares if you freak out!" Cyborg countered his leader's argument. "It's better than being insincere. Starfire isn't like any of your other girls. I want you two to be happy, because we've been waiting for you two to get together for so long already. Be yourself! Don't tell me Starfire won't be understanding if you are shaky and all that. The Boy Wonder has to wonder about stuff too, man."

Robin took them in word by word as Cyborg explained whilst piling up more snacks.

"Think about it," Cyborg said one last time before leaving the common room.

Robin completely agreed with Cyborg.

He had to get to Star and get it right. He didn't plan how to, he just planned to, and sometimes that's what fosters romance.

Bursting with new light, he ran to Starfire's room.

In Starfire's room, the alien girl had been weeping for Silkie to see. Her thoughts were shouting in maddened wonder.

_What is this Earthly feeling and why is it rich in emotions?! Relationships were not quite like this in Tamaran. Is this love? It is excruciating to the heart in a non-physical way. It does not make sense. I don't understand. What am I supposed to expect from Robin? Was the antic he was doing to me just now what they call true love? It is very uncomfortable. Xhal, please enlighten me, I am most puzzled._

Silkie suddenly squeaked, stopping Starfire from her thoughts to look up at her bumgorf. Behind the circular seat Silkie was fumbling on, the door had opened.

"Starfire," Robin called softly as he closed the door behind him. This time, Starfire recognized a more subtle tone.

"Robin," Starfire called back, not putting effort to hide her teary streams. But she did stand up so that she could read Robin's face more easily. His smirk and glazed over confidence that were on his face in the kitchen weren't there anymore. He looked slightly timid again. If she could choose, she preferred that vulnerable face to the fake seductive one. At least he didn't seem to be metaphorically looking down at her as if she were just a tool from a play set.

Robin wasted no time walking to Starfire and giving her a loving, tight embrace.

"I'm sorry for what happened," he apologized. "That wasn't true love. I should never have tried that stupid trick."

Starfire tightened the hug. But it wasn't the usual tightness that suffocated the people she was hugging, no. It was calmer, more intimate, and in a way more appreciative.

Silkie wiggled around in joy seeing its 'mom' and her crush hugging each other affectionately.

Starfire broke the hug to get a better look at Robin. She really liked this vulnerable side of him. She seldom witnessed vulnerability because it wasn't even considered a means of expression in Tamaran. But seeing such a thing on Robin, the level headed and frequently focused leader, struck as something special to her.

"Then what is true love?" she asked Robin.

A small smile formed on Robin's lips.

"This is."

For the second time, he gently pulled her closer to him. But this time not in an embrace, but in a passionate kiss.


	13. Mad World

**(Author's Note: Greetings, readers! Firstly, thanks to everyone who read and/or reviewed the last couple of chapters! Big hugs for y'all! Second of all, this song is Mad World, with Gary Jules's version as the inspiration for this chapter.**

**I have another story in my mind that's seeking release! I have already started working on it, but I will get to posting the story once this one is done.**

**Disclaimer: No, I don't own Teen Titans. But I hope I will own your enjoyment! Wheee...)**

Slade was doing his routine rounds of observing little Markovia from a window. It was sunset, and he had returned to his temporary residence in one of the two hotels in the higher class area of the nation.

It had always been his habit to examine objects from a macro view. It was a way more accurate game play board than any drawn diagrams or dioramas. Additionally, it was an effective way for him to evaluate, especially on the prospects of that particular location. He had done such evaluations numerous times back in Jump City.

This evening, during one round of calm and intent sightseeing, he heard an eerie swoosh produced in the middle of his humble suite followed by a curdling sigh.

"That Raven girl has got more powerful ever since our last abrupt encounter," the lady remarked icily as she composed herself after her trip from Azarath and back to Earth. "Why, she even managed to cast me back to my home dimension. The nerve of that woman!"

"Now now, Phobia," Slade moved on from Phobia's rant. "I simply requested you to make it known to the Titans my whereabouts and Terra's. That has been done."

"At the expense of my dignity!" Phobia complained, dusting off the rest of the dust from her green dress and proceeded to sit on the regal stool. She then poshly removed her glass slippers. She heaved an exasperated sigh as she picked up a towel to clean up one of the hard and tight footwear.

"These slippers are becoming more painful to walk with," she commented, her frustration evident in her expression. "How does Cinderella keep them on?"

"Because she knows elegance," Slade deadpanned. Phobia glared at his back.

"What a joke, Mr. Wilson, what a joke."

Slade let Phobia tidy herself up while he continued staring out the window.

"Isn't the Markovian weather fantastically stable, Phobia?" he noted after awhile.

Phobia sighed again, her common remark. She replied, "I'm a woman of nightmares, Slade. I don't bode well with light let alone the Sun. But you're right about the stable part, though it would be easier to haunt these civilians' heads if the nights are filled with pounding rain and booming thunders more often."

She looked at Slade looking out the window. She had no idea why people like him enjoyed doing such placid activities, she found them a waste of time. But who was she to judge, she was a nocturnal?

"This whole shenanigan better be worth my dime, Mr. Wilson," she addressed, standing up and positioning her hands on her hips. "We both hate being back here; bad memories. But you were off better than I was, since I'm the one with these sickly powers. Once we find what you're looking for and done what we've planned to do, we bail out of here and go our separate ways, alright?"

"Don't be so uptight, Phobia, or that will be _your_ nightmare," Slade told his accomplice. "It's narcissists, pessimists or nihilists like you that deviates goal setters from achieving their objectives."

"Rubbish," Phobia spat out, proceeding to watch the view beside Slade in search of any interests. "Besides, everyone's got some negativity at some point, even the good guys."

"That, you're correct," Slade affirmed, looking at her with the coldest of stares. "It's a mad world."

_**All around me are familiar faces**_  
_**Worn out places, worn out faces**_  
_**Bright and early for their daily races**_  
_**Going nowhere, going nowhere**_

"Lift us higher up. We are almost there, and if I remember correctly, the mountain Jericho resides on should be that one."

Red X pointed at a mountain as Raven chanted her mantra to raise the hover disk. They had reached the mountain range after two days of being in the air.

"H-how m-much f-farther do y-you th-think?" Raven stuttered, wrapping her body with her cloak tightly. She was anxious to see a familiar face that were not her core teammates nor pesky villains. To her, it was the equivalent of a homecoming to a cousin's place.

Red X, who had been viewing the mountains and looking out, noticed Raven shivering. Her face even looked paler than the other times he saw her. They hadn't really eaten much for the past couple of days, but he was surprised that Raven was that affected, considering she didn't eat a lot on her regular days on the ground.

"Are you doing alright, Rae? You look ghastly worn out."

Raven's ears shifted a bit at the sound of the nickname. Somewhere deep in her thoughts she found it funny that already Red X was moving up from proper first names, but she didn't mind, especially since she was trying to warm herself up. She was busy with rigoursly rubbing her hands against her skin.

"I-it's just sss-so c-cold..."

It was then that Red X realized that Raven was still wearing her normal leotard and cloak outfit. Being in a high-altitude area, it had to be nearing zero degrees Celsius from where they were. He had no problem with the temperate because his xenothium-powered suit was designed to adapt to a wide range of temperatures. But Raven was practically bare-skinned. He felt guilty about it, since he hadn't warned her when he knew it would be freezing.

"I'm really sorry I didn't tell you earlier," Red X apologized, looking sorrily at the shivering Raven. If he could, he would let her wear his clothing or somehow make her cloak or leotard powered by xenothium.

"I've never been colder in this world," Raven muttered through gritted teeth. But she couldn't keep her teeth stationary for long, and they resumed chattering. "We brrr-better n-not brrr-be going n-nowhere after a-a-all this t-trouble."

_**Their tears are filling up their glasses**_  
_**No expression, no expression**_  
_**Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow**_  
_**No tomorrow, no tomorrow**_

"Can I help you with anything?"

Red X couldn't have Raven cold and out of energy. That practically meant the two of them plummeting down hundreds of feet from the sky to the jagged terrain bellow. And as of that moment, it seemed that Raven was about to pass out.

"I'm okay," Raven said softly, almost inaudible to Red X. "We're almost there."

A strong gust of wind whooshed past them, and Red X noticed Raven's body oscillating more intensely. He looked at Raven's face one more time, and he could tell she was putting more focus on keeping warm than staying afloat. Her face became exhausted, expressionless and quite sorrowful. He had to do something. If not for their own safety, than for her comfort.

Not following Raven's insistence that she was fine, he shuffled his position on the disk so that he was sitting closely behind Raven. He spread his arms wide, xenothium chemicals kicking into gear, and locked them around Raven. That took Raven by surprise, but she was too brittle at that moment to counter whatever he was doing.

"W-what are you doing?" For a brief moment, she thought it was a surprise attack and Red X had been lying about Terra, Brian and everything all along and was this whole time working with Slade alongside Phobia, Sparky and that other monster she was too tired to recall its name. She almost regretted ever believing in Red X's words until Red X's voice of reason calmed her down.

"I'm keeping you warm," Red X said. He, like Raven, felt anything but comfortable in what he was doing. "Sorry for the awkwardness."

His front made contact with her back, and despite it all being out-of-place and unusual, Raven couldn't really mind it. There were not many other options, none better than the one done. Plus, it was working. Raven was feeling much warmer.

"Grateful decency, Maximus," she breathed out thankfully, unaware that she had caught on to Red X's and other Markovians' signature saying.

_**And I find it kinda funny**_  
_**I find it kinda sad**_  
_**The dreams in which I'm dying**_  
_**Are the best I've ever had**_

_**I find it hard to tell you**_  
_**I find it hard to take**_  
_**When people run in circles**_  
_**It's a very, very mad world**__**...**_ mad world

"Don't mention this to anyone," Raven then grumbled, "especially Beast Boy. I'm sure the position we're in looks so wrong. He won't like the sound or the sight of this."

"Deal," Red X agreed wholeheartedly before silence took over once again.

_Awkward silence_, both noticed. Raven, feeling indebted to Red X, decided that she should put in more effort to be more hospitable for him.

"You know," she began quietly. "It's kind of funny how we are suddenly co-operating with each other cohesively."

Red X smirked. "True. It feels good siding with the good guys."

"Ever thought about starting heroic work?"

Raven looked back at Red X with a hint of hopefulness in her eyes.

"Nah. I've only ever wore this stupid suit because I'm looking for my sister. To me, she is worth more than a city of innocent civilians, so whenever you heard me with my usual utterance 'I'm looking out for myself', I am also referring to Terra. Besides, I'm ready to ditch this costume when the time calls for it."

"If only you were _that_ direct from the beginning, then we could have helped you," Raven deadpanned, but inwardly she sneered. _Lucky Terra; she is loved by the people that I'm attracted to. Beast Boy and then Maximus..._

_No... What? Did I just admit that to myself? Me, attracted to Terra's brother?_

Raven's mind was madly running in circles. With the chills of the wind and the warmth of xenothium, it was hard sustaining concentration. But she had to stay alive by continuously conjuring the hovering disk, and so decided to pick up on the topic later if possible.

_**Children waiting for the day they feel good**_  
_**Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday**_  
_**And I feel the way that every child should**_  
_**Sit and listen, sit and listen**_

"Enlighten me on what you plan on doing, especially by taking Jericho and letting Slade know that he is here, unable to talk but still alive," Raven requested, reverting her focus on the mission.

"You and your friends ought to know more than everyone else which side of the fence Slade is playing for," Red X answered. "And I should know more than anyone that he has returned to Markovia to free the Arbitraries so that he can have them do his bidding."

"I think he already has freed and unleashed some," Raven added. Again she remembered Kelp, Sparky and Phobia. Maybe Plasmus was also an Arbitrary. "We fought some of his cronies before we found out where he went."

"He must have thought it was a way to recruit new villains, now that most of them have been frozen in underground Paris. Great job on that by the way."

Raven blushed. "Beast Boy was the game changer."

Red X stiffened as she mentioned Beast Boy. He wasn't the type of guy who liked being engaged into topics about lovers and close relationships, considering he didn't have many to begin with. But, for Raven's sake, he decided to play along.

"Tell me about you and that string bean. I've been intrigued."

This time, it was Raven who stiffened. Red X found her unusually adorable, she was like a doll that would move at a press of a button.

Raven took the time to pick her words.

"It's indescribable," she explained. "I wanted to know what love is, and I get these surreal desires that I explore love from him. Then, a chain of events, poof." Thinking about her true love for a moment made her vie to be with Beast Boy again. She missed him so much.

"Stop," Red X told her. "We're here."

_**Went to school and I was very nervous**_  
_**No one knew me, no one knew me**_  
_**Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson**_  
_**Look right through me, look right through me**_

Raven was relieved that she no longer had to conjure that disk, and to hit dry surface, even if it was still cold, she didn't have to worry about falling to her death. She and Red X hiked for a few minutes before arriving at the peak.

It was like they hit safe haven. Bushes of well-planted flora, mists that weren't overcast but were actually putting nice touches on the sight, and pleasant banjo music playing in the background. Raven and Red X examined the site, and when the mist cleared right at the middle of their view, they could spot Jericho calmly playing his banjo on top of a stool-sized boulder.

"Nice to see you again, Jericho," Raven greeted, to which Jericho replied with an eager nod. He didn't know why Raven and a mysterious other person came to him, but he was always reacting calmly, refusing to view life as full of surprises. But when Red X removed his mask to show his true face as Maximus Brian Markov, Jericho couldn't help but widen his eyes and abruptly pause his playing.

Jericho put his musical instrument down and lunged himself happily at Maximus, tackling him to a friendly hug, which Maximus returned the favor.

"Nice to see you again, Jer," Maximus said with a grin. "Princess Tara Markov has returned and has most probably reclaimed her position as in-line for the reign. The problem; she is still clueless that her parents are planning on brainwashing her and making her continue the family's evil deeds. Another thing..."

Maximus gave Jericho time to let the information sink in, because the bomb he was about to blow after would be the real shocker.

"Your father's there too."

At the sound of that sentence, Jericho was quickly shaken, he was in utter disbelief. If he could speak, he would be speechless. Jericho gave Red X a look, as if asking if he were telling the truth and if he had any proof.

"Yes, trust me, I have earned your trust haven't I? Raven, contact your friends, tell them to take the T-ship to Markovia, following the directions I gave them. Jericho, we need you for this mission. Slade needs a wake-up call, and you two require a reunion."

_**And I find it kinda funny**_  
_**I find it kinda sad**_  
_**The dreams in which I'm dying**_  
_**Are the best I've ever had**_

_**I find it hard to tell you**_  
_**I find it hard to take**_  
_**When people run in circles**_  
_**It's a very, very mad world... mad world**_

"There. That's the whole story."

Red X took a deep breath once he ended his story-telling - about Slade, Terra, and how he as Red X met the Titans - and then eyed Jericho, prompting him to response. Jericho's face expressed it all. He was shocked, shocked how every bits have been pieced together like the beginning of the resolution of a novel. look also had negative implications.

Raven, with her empathy, could sense the strong mix of overwhelmed emotions coming from Jericho, and it made her heart sank for him. All of the information must have been a really tough pill to swallow. She felt sad for him that he, out of anyone else, had to take it all in. He was the sweet, honorary individual who spent most of his life safe in the mountains, where nothing in the rest of the world could disrupt his peace. This revelation gave Raven much more motivation to deal with the task at hand.

"I already called my teammates by the way," she informed Red X. "They and Brian are on their way. But they want to know if we will go in quietly or make our arrivals known."

Red X told her that it would be the former, which she passed it on to her friends. She looked forward to seeing Beast Boy again, and also checking out what Markovia looked like in person and where Slade and Terra had gone to.

They were all en route to a whole new world, one she had heard mad tales about.

_This should be interesting, _she evaluated on the prospect. _It would make an appropriate setting for the stories' photo finish._

_**Enlarging your world**_  
_**Mad world**_

**(Author's Note: X-Rae is kinda adorable, I have to admit *prepares fire extinguishers in case of flames*, but I hope I did not give the impression that Raven's being wishy-washy and whatnot. Cut her some slack, she went on a date with her new boyfriend, which was ruined by her BF's ex-GF, but then there's a mission because of that ex-GF that separated BF and current GF. Raven's still dying to develop that feeling of love! This story is still rated BBRae guys!**

**Anyway, if you enjoyed this chapter, I beg you to keep a lookout for the upcoming ones and while that is in the works, you can have a gander at my other stories/one-shots! If you have already read them, I'm sorry I don't have anymore at the moment, but I will try! Just send me a review or a message if you want to know about anything or comment on something! Thank you so much guys! Or, how some would put it, Grateful decency!)**


	14. Bein' Green

**(Author's Note: Song is Bein' Green by Kermit the Frog! And yes, it's about Beast Boy! It's kind of a random chapter, but it's mainly a filler. Extremely few events in this chapter are for making the story go forward, but I hope you like it all the same!**

**Disclaimer: Me? Own Teen Titans? _NOOOOoooo...)_**

Beast Boy woke up this morning feeling slightly refreshed and quite ready for another day of investigation. This had been going on for three days already and most of the time he gave up early when he got no lead consistently. He wished he had asked Robin to teach him how to be savvy with his surroundings and where best to look when snooping around. Finding no clues was like being rejected by anyone over and over and over again. It didn't feel nice. And each day of the three days, now fourth, he started out with a positive attitude, believing today was the day he would find something, but in the end his mood would decline until he no longer had enough motivation to keep on going.

That morning, it seemed to be an exception to his mind at that moment, but in hindsight it seemed to be like one of those other days. The first thing he would do once he got up was to get washed and changed into his superhero uniform, and making sure that he looked good. Then, he would go to the small dining hall, which was in actuality the size of a normal dining room, for his breakfast.

After some persuasion, Beast Boy managed to be prepared a special vegetarian meal. That morning, it was tofu eggs with celery and a glass of orange juice.

"G'morning, Beast Boy," the cook and owner of the inn greeted, working the frying pan and already whipping up the meat-free substitute eggs. "Take a seat and I will bring your breakfast over."

Beast Boy thanked her and took a seat on the checkered cloth-covered dining table. The cook finished cooking, poured a glass of orange juice, and placed them in front of Beast Boy.

"Enjoy," she said as Beast Boy dug in. She stared at him for quite some time, and when Beast Boy noticed her, she added, "You do know we have a clinic here, right? It's the eighth block to the right of here."

"It's not a sickness!" Beast Boy retorted with his mouth full. He was having enough of all the talk about his green skin and recently his single sticking out fang. The people of Markovia had never seen any superheroes and that often their characteristics are not of the typical humans'. He denied that he had problems, but _they_ denied his denial. He began to realize how irritating it must have been for Raven whenever Beast Boy disgustedly called her 'creepy' despite it being her most characterizing trait. It must have been a similar feeling he was receiving nowadays.

_I should really make up to Raven for all those times_, he made a mental note to himself.

"I don't think so," the owner's denial reignited, to Beast Boy's chagrin. "Promise me you will get a checkup, alright? Your skin is olive green, which is rarer than the standard definition of 'Rare'."

Beast Boy, having no desire to continue the topic over to the rest of the day, gave a fake nod, and she stopped minding him and his breakfast. After his breakfast, he grabbed his imaginary magnifying glass and smoke pipe and got out of the inn.

_First top; St. Pierre's Bakery!_

_**It's not that easy being green**_  
_**Having to spend each day the color of the leaves**_  
_**When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow, or gold**_  
_**Or something much more colorful like that**_

Beast Boy had searched in many places during the previous three days. He just knew that if he could find one lead, then he could go on a roll and find many more. Unfortunately, he had not found that pivotal piece yet.

_Maybe the bakery will be the piece,_ he thought confidently. Yesterday's round of clue searching gave him the information that Terra's favorite spot in the Marketplace was St. Pierre's Bakery. His source stated that it was because of the bakery's popular frosted strawberry cheesecake, but he knew better than to believe that a piece of food was the primary reason for someone to make recurring trips. It was just a mouth-watering bonus to something more beneficial.

He arrived at the stall and, just as expected, Terra was already seated and receiving her plate of the usual. She noticed him and gave him a worried look. The look did not read out that she was worried about him, but more like worried about _her_ _because_ of what he might do._  
_

"G'morning, Terra!" he exclaimed, plopping himself onto the seat directly opposite her. Terra shook her head, hoping that when she regained composure from the dizziness caused that Beast Boy would disappear. He didn't.

"What are you doing her?" she scowled softly, eyes shifting between him and the baker.

"Looking for clues, of course," Beast Boy grinned. _Terra's worried, so there must be something here!_

"Go away," she whispered. _Not now..._

"Alright, Terra..." a voice said. It was coming from the baker, Gerard. Terra leaned back and pretended that she wasn't annoyed by anyone when Gerard smiled at her. The baker brushed the pastry crumbs off his apron and went towards their table.

He then slid Beast Boy away and took his seat, leaving Beast Boy fallen on the rough ground with a comical thwack.

"What's that about, dude?!" Beast Boy stood up and bellowed. A surprised Gerard jumped up, and Terra could only watch and groan in misery, looking down, away from the embarrassment.

_This is totally awkward,_ she thought miserably.

"Whoa, I apologize!" Gerard said defensively, looking weirdly at a frowning Beast Boy. "I swear I thought you were just a leaf on my seat. Why are you so _green_?!"

Terra inwardly whimpered. _Uh oh, he pulled Beast Boy's trigger..._

And that he did. Beast Boy was fuming and everyone could see that for his green skin was reddening, and in the flushed way.

"WHAT IS SO WRONG ABOUT BEING GREEN?!"

He was heavily panting as passersby, including Gerard and a groaning Terra, turned their faces at Beast Boy as a result of his outburst.

"You know what, I'm outta here!" he boomed with finality, and he stomped away from the bakery, forgetting that he was there in the first place to do some investigating.

_**It's not that easy being green**_  
_**It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things**_  
_**And people tend to pass you over 'cause you're**_  
_**Not standing out like flashy sparkles in the water**_  
_**Or stars in the sky**_

And on his way out of the Marketplace, the situation wasn't getting any better. People continually looked over at Beast Boy as if he were some kind of mutant. He was already furious, so their stares were doing the opposite of alleviating his angered emotions.

He had never had such an issue before; his green skin and how alien it was to everyone else. Some people he met in the past would also find his olive skin unusual, but he was never bothered as much. In fact, at times he took it with stride and pride. So what made this different? He couldn't quite figure out.

His became greenish scarlet with each more person giving him some kind of look. He had never had that many people before, and maybe that might be why he was so angry? But earlier it was only Terra and Gerard, now he was just intensifying his anger when he could control it. Doing nothing to loosen up would only make it harder for him to calm down.

_Why can't I just not have green skin?_ he wondered, but quickly dismissed that thought. He would never regret being what he is, but he allowed himself to be mad, sad, whatever, about the topic. He wanted to be expressive, but not regretful.

Because he didn't pay so much focus on where he was going, he happened to stumble upon a bunch of grass. He looked up and saw the entrance sign reading 'Garden'.

_**But green's the color of Spring**_  
_**And green can be cool and friendly-like**_  
_**And green can be big like an ocean, or important**_  
_**Like a mountain, or tall like a tree**_

The garden, like any other floral oasis, was blanketed with greenery as natural as breathing. Beast Boy surely loved breathing in from the relaxing atmosphere the plants offered. It soothed him from his madness. What was better was that he found a spot in the garden where there was no one nearby, so he didn't have to glare at them for staring at him.

"There isn't a problem being green," he told his thoughts. As proof, he glanced peacefully at the shrubs of bushes, at the leaves directly below him, at the mountains from afar, and at other green stuff. "Green symbolizes health. It's the major color of plants. There's not a single flower that doesn't have a single green in them. Vegetables are green and the green veggies are said to be the healthiest. Looking at green things are good for the eyes. Heck, green is so special that a _black_board is green!"

Feeling confident, he strolled out of the point of solitude and returned to face the Markovians. No could stop him for being green. That was the best part of being him.

_**When green is all there is to be**_  
_**It could make you wonder**_  
_**But why wonder, why wonder?**_  
_**I'm green and it'll do fine**_  
_**And It's beautiful**_  
_**And I think it's what I want to be**_

Beast Boy had spent the whole day out. Originally looking for evidence that Terra's parents were mad scientists abducting innocent villagers for their numerous and continuous immoral experiments, in the end he spent the time complimenting green and justifying that his skin color is not a problem to him anymore.

He entered the inn, and the maid or owner or cook's first question was whether he had gone to the doctor. He answered honestly, but added with confidence.

"I _know_ I don't have a problem with my skin color, since it's not harming me. In fact, it's made me a better person."

With a confident smile and a nod of comprehension from the woman, Beast Boy strode into his bedroom. In his bedroom, he felt like sleeping because he was so relaxed. But at the same time, he felt revitalized from today's trips and conclusion.

He lay on his bed, and grabbed a photo of Raven that he had brought along with him for moral support. He stared at it until he slept.

"As long as you love me, I just want to be me."


	15. Your Song

**(A/N: The song is "Your Song" by Elton John. I hope you like it. I'd also like to receive comments on Gerard and Red X / Raven, and any reviews you want to express! Enjoy!)**

"Tara, where you going today, honey?"

"To Gerard's, mom!"

Ms. Markov's head peered up from behind her fitting blinds. "Who?"

"Oh, St. Pierre's Bakery, I mean!" Terra corrected. Her mother huffed.

"The past three days you were there for a few hours, and you're not getting _that_ much fatter. What have you been doing?"

Terra was trying on different shoes while she explained what she had done outside with Gerard.

"Trust me, I've only eaten one slice of cheesecake a day. I can spend hours talking to Gerard, mother. He's great to talk to." Terra giggled at the memory of her last conversation with Gerard. Finally, she picked her pair of shoes; Cinderella-dress blue and ribbons for laces. "Okay, I'm off!"

Terra exited her room. She looked around the big area that separated her room and the door to exit the castle cautiously.

"Slade," she sighed, and Slade revealed himself. "Again, you're back."

"Yes," Slade drawled calmly. "I have been wondering something, and have kept an eye on you these past few days."

_"What?_" Terra said threateningly. She swore that if Slade had been following her _every single second,_ she would tear the Castle down just to hurt him.

"Don't worry, only when you're here," Slade said. "Anyway, I want to know if you've been feeling... different."

Terra clenched her fists. Slade was the last person she wanted to have a conversation with right now.

"Any..." Slade continued. "Different thoughts?"

"Is this for your and Beast Boy's ridiculous mission? Give it up!"

"If you are so sure it's untrue, then you wouldn't be bothered to tell me any changes in how you think."

Terra looked up exasperatedly. She couldn't stand one more minute with Slade.

"Fine! There are, okay? _Happy?_"

"Tell me more."

Terra grumbled, but continued.

"I'm getting these scenarios in my head... like visions of the future. It's unusual, but I think it's just me adjusting to my new home. Pretty big castle to get used to, you know."

"Any non-humans?"

Terra raised an eyebrow. "Yeah..."

Suddenly, they could hear a large door open.

"Tara? Are you going to the Marketplace again?"

Terra turned around and replied with a yes. "After I finish talking with Slade over here."

She turned back to where Slade was, but he was gone.

"Slade was here?" Mr. Markov said skeptically.

Terra was so confused. _What happened?_

"Never mind," she said uncertainly before leaving the Castle.

Slade was outside the Castle. He secretly watched Terra walked towards the Marketplace before pulling up minuscule calling device.

"Phobia? I give the green light to infiltrate her dream tonight."

* * *

Terra couldn't wait to meet Gerard. She would constantly look down at her gown. _Do I look pretty? Are my shoes tied? Did I braid my hair properly? Is my dress not stained? Oh gosh, is there something on my teeth?_

Before she could go to borrow a mirror from someone, she had already arrived at St. Pierre's Bakery. Not only that, she spotted Gerard _and_ Gerard had noticed her.

"Terra! Hi!" he waved, and Terra flipped her hair backwards, trying to ignite some flair and maybe spark up some beauty. "Are you here for your frosted strawberry cheesecake, or will it be something different?"

Terra hummed out a pigeon laughter as she took a seat. "I want to try the mango pancake today. Sounds like a good breakfast."

Gerard joined in the soft laughter. "But believe me, it is more a dessert than it is a healthy morning meal. One serving of mango pancake coming right up."

Terra eagerly watched him doing his work. She liked how his short curly strands gave him that look of mature youth, and how his glistening blue ocean eyes made it really easy for her to see his sincerity.

She didn't know what to make of it; her current obsession with Gerard. She was like an older version of Beast Boy, and much manlier and, admittedly, _sexier_. When she was with Beast Boy, it was like being with a childhood friend that she'd talk cooties with. With Gerard, it was like a high-school crush.

The feelings were most definitely reciprocated. Gerard was as subtle as Terra. Her blonde hair was graceful, and she had that rock-star attitude that didn't make her so boring unlike most of the other girls that would flirt with him and fail.

"There you go," Gerard said, politely giving Terra the plate of pancake and then sitting beside her. Terra's heartbeat quickened. She let her hair fall on her right side because she didn't Gerard to see her blushing.

She was slicing her cake, but her pupils were at their right sides, trying to steal glances at Gerard through the gaps from her hair. Gerard was staring at her with a heartwarming grin that she found so cute.

"After you finish eating, I want to show you something, if that's okay with you," Gerard said. Terra flipped her hair the other side to get a better look of him.

"Why?"

"Just something I want to get across," he said.

_How can I say no to this guy?_ she thought. "Sure!"

"Sweet!" Gerard exclaimed. "Excuse me for a second while I call my friends."

_Wait, friends?_ Terra wondered, seeing him pull out his phone and whispering to his friends through it. _Why does he needs his friends?_

"Come over," he whispered, and they seemed to have it planned for days because that was the end of the call. Terra realized it was fast, so it was something they had orchestrated beforehand. She just wondered what it had to do with her. All the more reason to quickly empty her plate.

"Done," she declared after a few minutes. "Now, tell me."

Gerard's smile turned to a grin. Terra adored how he supported his head with his hand, and how his arm had been supported by the table.

"Right on time," he said. "Just sit back and watch."

And the moment he stood up, a guitar started playing nearby. Then, two men roughly Gerard's age crept up from behind the baking place and settled behind Gerard. One was playing the guitar while the other held a flute. It became clear what the plan was. Gerard was serenading her. Terra had always found Gerard's voice dreamy, hearing him sing would be paradise.

And with two more notes strung, Gerard's voice began his work.

"_It's a little bit funny, this feeling inside,  
I'm not one of those who can easily hide…  
I don't have much money, but boy if I did,  
I'd buy you a big house where we both could live…_"

A part of Terra inside was mentally fangirling. Gerard had the most vulnerably powerful voice she had ever heard.

The flutist would play whenever there was pure instrumental, and during such vocal breaks Gerard would smoothly or coolly move from one place to another. For the first move, he went closer to Terta until he was opposite her with the table as their separation.

"_If I was a sculptor - huh - but then again, no,  
Or a man who makes potions in a traveling show  
Oh, I know it's not much but it's the best I can do…  
My gift is my song and this one's for you…_"

Terra couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't hide her blush or forbid them from showing. Gerard noticed her reddening, and he couldn't help but let his eyes twinkle at how glad he was that the serenade was working.

"_And you can tell everybody; this is your song,  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done  
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words…  
How wonderful life is when you're in the world…_"

"What is this about, Gerard?" Terra asked. Gerard offered his hand, and Terra took it. Next thing she knew, he was twirling her most spectacularly. As Gerard got ready for the next verse, he stopped spinning Terra and went for slow dancing.

"You're an excellent dancer," Terra commented.

"_I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss  
Well a few of the verses, well they, left me quite crossed__…  
But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song,  
It's for people like you that keep it turned on__…_"

She was enjoying the moment so much. The music, the weather, the person dancing with her. Perfection. How could she ask for a more romantic endeavor?

Gerard's two friends were grinning proudly because Gerard's plan was succeeding. They knew he liked her. He had told them, and they were there for him. They knew Gerard deserved a woman so wonderful and beautiful, and Terra was probably that woman.

For the next verse of the song, Gerard connected his nose with hers, and made sure that their eyes were gazing at each other's. Terra felt butterflies fluttering in her belly. His skin was soft and moist, and they were just _so close_.

"_So excuse me forgetting, but these things I do,  
I've forgotten if they're green or their blue  
Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean,  
Yours are the sweetest eyes__…_"

He then knelt down and completed the song, holding Terra's hand.

"_So you can tell everybody; this is your song,  
It may be quite simple but now that it's done  
I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind that I put down in words__…_  
How wonderful life is when you're in the world_…_

_"I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind  
That I put down in words__…_  
How wonderful life is when you're in the world_…_"

The guitar and flute died down as Gerard quietened. He looked up at Terra, eyes gleaming. She still had her genuine smile on. _Great,_ he thought optimistically. _I can do this._

"Are you proposing to me?" Terra asked, feeling ridiculous at what position they were in but at the same time romantically cute.

"Not for engagement, no," Gerard replied as if he thought that were a ridiculous proposition. "But a few steps lower. Terra, will you do the honors of being my girlfriend?"

Gerard's friends were staring at them earnestly with wide hopeful eyes, waiting for _the_ answer.

"That would be rocking," was Terra's reply.

The new couple burst in laughter when Gerard spun her again. This time, he lifted her up a few inches and spun her in circles. When he put them down, he leaned closer for a kiss, but a finger blocked him.

"Too early," Terra said, but with a teasing smile.

A thought struck Gerard. "But don't you have to have your parents' approval first?"

Terra's eyes widened a bit at the reminder. "Right_… _I guess I forgot about that."

Both of them laughed again, and Gerard's friends felt so extra that they tiptoed out of their sight. Of course, Gerard and Terra were so immersed into each other that they didn't realize their absence.

Terra had to ask her parents first."Surely that shouldn't be a problem."

"I guess," Gerard said. "This is true love, yes?"

Terra giggled. "How incredibly cheesy of you. But to be safe, maybe we should just settle for… what do you call a relationship between best friends and lovers?"

Gerard tried to look for the term. There didn't seem to be one. "Uh… _tentative_ lovers?"

Terra initially gave him a quizzical look, but she couldn't think of a better term, so agreed with it.

"I should go, it's starting noon. My parents will want to have me for lunch."

"Okay, Terra!" Gerard exclaimed. He almost kissed her, but stopped himself before he could, avoiding receiving 'nah-uh' looks from Terra.

As Terra walked away from the bakery, she could tell that Gerard was staring at her all the way until she got out of the Marketplace.

"What a fairy tale morning," she whispered to herself giddily.

* * *

_How do you know if the other Titans are going to meet us before we reach Markovia?_

That was what Jericho wrote on a piece of paper to Red X.

"They will," Red X promised.

"And how far will we have to go until we reach Markovia?" Raven asked.

"A couple of hours."

Raven spoke no more, her energy focused on her mind and on making sure they stayed in the air. She anticipated to see Beast Boy again, and never stopped wondering what he would be doing. She was sure he had talked to Terra, but how much talking they did was in Raven's thoughts.

Jericho didn't have to speak, so he spent an immense amount of time thinking through the events that had just happened and what he had been told. His father was in Markovia right now, where they both lived together as father and son years ago. But it was disturbing finding out that he was the arch nemesis of the Teen Titans.

_If I were to finally meet my dad again, what should I do?I_

Raven was also skeptical about the whole familial awkwardness, both between Maximus and his Markov family and Jericho and Slade. They were much in a similar situation that she was in with Trigon, accept Trigon never really cared for her as a daughter. They never had that bond other than the biological aspect of things. But Maximus and Jericho had those bonds that they cherished until fate took them in and divided them for several years. Emotionally, she couldn't argue that they had it tougher.

"They have arrived," Red X noted, pointing at the approaching T-Ship. Raven immediately saw Robin, Starfire, Cyborg and Brian through their windows.

"My friends and allies!" Starfire exclaimed. "It is splendid to reunite, I have missed you dearly, Raven!"

"It's also nice to see you again, Jericho," Robin said, and Jericho nodded back.

"Yeah, man!" Cyborg was pumped. "Hop on in and we can ride this baby to Markovia and get Beast Butt back!"

Raven, Red X and Jericho wasted no time getting in the T-Ship. Red X bunked in with Brian, who was taking over Beast Boy's part of the ship. Raven was back in hers, bringing Jericho along.

"Any news while I've been away?" Raven asked the team through the microphone radio. It felt like home.

"Robin and I are doing the dating now!" Starfire replied excitedly, triggering snickers from Cyborg and blushes from Robin.

"I wasn't expecting an answer, but I can't say I'm not happy," Raven said as she pulled her seat belt. "Beast Boy, Cyborg and I have waited for this moment."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Robin ask threateningly as Cyborg burst into laughter.

"What about you, Raven?" Starfire asked giddily. She didn't mean to say it in such a way Raven felt. Raven quickly glanced at Red X, who was trying his best not to reciprocate it.

"Nothing, of course," Raven answered dully. "I just couldn't wait to get out of that chilly mountain."

"Guys, we ought to get going," Red X reminded them, breaking their reunion party.

"And going we shall!" Starfire exclaimed.

"You know you wanna say it, Robin!" Cyborg wiggled his eyebrows, and Robin knew he was right. "It's a whole different pool of people, but we're all playing the same team! Holler that phrase we all love!"

"Titans, GO!"


End file.
